Harry Styles 'truly devastated' by Liam Payne's death: 'I will miss him always'
Harry Styles penned a heartfelt tribute to his late bandmate Liam Payne, saying that the time they spent together will forever be among the "most cherished years" of his life.
The singer released a statement on Payne's death on Instagram on Friday, Oct. 18. "I am truly devastated by Liam's passing," he began.
According to Styles, Payne found most joy in making other people happy. "It was an honor to be alongside him as he did it," he said.
"Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving,” he continued.
"The years we spent together will forever be among the most cherished years of my life," he added. "I will miss him always, my lovely friend."
Styles also expressed his love to Payne's parents Karen and Geoff, his older siblings Nicola and Ruth, and his son Bear, as well as "all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did."
Citing authorities, several media outlets reported on Thursday, Oct. 17 that Payne was found dead after falling from his hotel window. He was 31.
He had suffered "very serious injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall," the head of the city's SAME emergency medical service, Alberto Crescenti, told local television, adding "there was no possibility of resuscitation." He also appeared to have suffered a fracture at the base of his skull from the fall Crescenti said was "about 13 or 14 meters" (about 43 or 46 feet).
Hours before his passing, Payne posted now-deleted videos as story entries on the messaging platform Snapchat.
As spotted by multiple media outlets like Page Six, the singer shared a selfie video with a text caption that read, "Lovely day in Argentina," followed by a red heart emoji. He was seen spending time with his girlfriend, American actress Kate Cassidy. In another story, he wrote, "Quality time," plus a smiling face with hearts emoji. It's unclear whether the stories were posted in real-time or late.
Payne was part of One Direction along with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan. It was formed in 2010 and became known for various hits such as What Makes You Beautiful, Little Things, and Best Song Ever, among others.