One Direction fans are mourning the tragic loss of band member Liam Payne after the singer fell to his death from a hotel in Buenos Aires last Wednesday.
Tributes from Payne's One Direction bandmates and fans have been pouring in as the news of his sudden death at age 31 rocked the industry.
Payne's sister Nicola was especially devastated after learning the tragic news through an alert on her phone.
On Monday, October 21, the grieving sister posted a slide of images featuring her late brother.
In the Instagram tribute, she vowed to look after Payne's 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he had with his ex-partner, Cheryl.
The heartfelt tribute began with:
"I have posted about Liam and his achievements over the years with a proud sister alert and that has stood then, now and always!!!"
She continued:
"When I saw the news pop up on my phone that you had left us I went cold, I wanted so much for this to be untrue."
"I have spent days hoping that it was a mistake and somebody has got it wrong. You were truly too good for this earth, you are an angel who just lived for making people smile and happy."
@np2788/Instagram
Nicola admitted the family didn't have very many photos together as they intentionally "never did that as a family" to avoid making him feel like he was "in a room of fans." However, she expressed the family were his "biggest fans always and forever."
"Your talent alone puts you miles ahead, but also you being you," she continued. "I have been looking back at the messages from the night I had Ffion, how excited you were to meet her, the jokes we all shared and the laughter that you knew we all needed," she said.
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
She explained that her brother was never one to settle and lived his life "with a motto of why bother doing something unless you are brilliant at it"
"Liam, you were certainly brilliant at everything you did!!" she wrote.
She continued:
"Unfortunately this cruel world is always to quick to judge someone from a few 5 second clips, they then think it entitles them to be able to speak like they know you. We knew you and we loved you."
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
She added:
"I hope you have finally found peace up there and that you'll continue to look after us all as you have done in life. We will make sure Bear knows about his daddy and how much you loved him, we promise this."
The message concluded with:
"See you soon Liam, Love you xx"
Fans continued sending love to her and her family for their loss.
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
@np2788/Instagram
The carousel of photos contained several images including one of the pair with their sister Gibbons, another of Payne presumably walking alongside his niece, and a selfie with the three siblings and their parents, Karen and Geoff.
@np2788/Instagram
Policía Federal Argentina confirmed Payne was pronounced dead at the scene after the singer had jumped from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 16.
Payne's One Direction band mates, including Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, have posted heartfelt tributes to the late singer whom they regarded as their brother.
One Direction was formed in 2010 and went on to become one of the biggest-selling boy bands of all time.
They released five albums, including Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014), and Made in the A.M.
Many of their songs, including "What Makes You Beautiful," "Live While We're Young," "Best Song Ever," "Story of My Life," and "Drag Me Down" climbed the top of many international music charts.
Payne's death continues to devastate fans around the world as they grapple with the reality that he is no longer with us.
@duolingo/Instagram
@duolingo/X
@margomartin/X
@margomartin/X
The Little Mermaid GIF by Walt Disney Studios
Tired Fuck Me GIF
glass slipper shoes GIF
Flying Peter Pan GIF by Disney