Louis Tomlinson is sharing his grief following the death of former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne … posting a moving tribute on his social media.
Following Liam’s death in Argentina on Wednesday, Louis took to Instagram, where he shared that he is “beyond devastated” by his colleague’s untimely death.
He wrote… “Yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was someone I looked up to every day, such a positive, funny, kind soul.”
Louis recalled the early days of their friendship, when they first formed a partnership – along with Harry Styles, Niall Horanand Zayn Malik – to form One Direction on the UK’s “The X Factor”.
He noted… “I was instantly impressed by his voice, but more importantly, as time passed, I got the chance to see the kind brother I had longed for my entire life.”
Louis praised Liam’s songwriting ability, hinting that he and his late friend have discussed collaborating again in the near future.
He added… “And for the record, Liam was, in my opinion, the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us, Liam.
Harry’s latest video with Liam, Niall, Zayn and Louis.
March 18, 2015. 💔 pic.twitter.com/UUALZIfA5k
— HS4 World Tour (@HS4WorldTour) October 17, 2024
@HS4WorldTour
Ending his note, Louis left a message for the late singer… confessing that he’s “struggling with the idea of saying goodbye.”
He also promised to be there for Liam’s baby Bearlife of… “I’ll be the uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.”
In addition to Louis’ personal message, the official One Direction Instagram account released a statement on behalf of the band’s surviving members.
The note states: “We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, which we loved very much.”
The message continues, saying that the bandmates will cherish their memories with Liam “forever.”
The statement concludes… “For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him dearly.”
As TMZ previously reported… Liam died Wednesday after falling from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to a 911 recordingLiam reportedly collapsed while intoxicated in his hotel room at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel before the crash… and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Fans, family and famous friends have paid tribute to Liam ever since… with many holding a vigil outside his hotel.
He was only 31 years old.
TO TEAR APART