When fans called for a One Direction reunion, this wasn’t what they had in mind.
As the song mourned the death of Liam Payne, those who knew him best were the first to share his grief.
Although they haven’t been in a band for nearly 10 years, the other members of One Direction came together to release a joint statement on the death of their friend and bandmate.
Get ready. This one is going to hurt.
One Direction mourns Liam Payne
After Liam died on Wednesday, October 16, the former members of the beloved former pop boy band — yes, including Zayn — shared a joint statement sharing their grief.
“We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. Over time, and when everyone can, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved deeply,” One Direction wrote in a statement. group statement.
“The memories we shared with him will be cherished forever,” the group added. “For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him very much.”
The tribute ended with farewell to all his bandmates.
“We love you Liam – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”
Liam’s legacy with the band
Despite admitting that boy band life took its toll, Liam remained with the group until the bitter end.
He remained with the group even after Zayn decided to leave in March 2015.
“I would like to apologize to the fans if I let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart,” Zayn said in the statement at the time.
“I’m leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old, able to relax and spend some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life: Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. And I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
Shortly after Zayn’s departure, the guys made the decision to go on “hiatus” as One Direction, promising fans that they would reunite when the time was right.
That time never came.
Over the past 9 years, each of the guys has been doing their own thing, building their solo careers. In fact, the reason Liam was in Argentina was to see Niall perform on tour.
The latest news about his death
Details began to emerge almost immediately after the news of Liam’s tragic death was confirmed.
The 911 call made by the receptionist at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, notified police that Liam’s life was “in danger.”
The hotel claimed that Liam was intoxicated by drugs and alcohol and was trashing his room at the time of the incident.
It remains unclear whether Liam’s fall from the balcony that led to his death was accidental or intentional.
However, the cause of death was revealed as “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage”, according to the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office in Argentina.