Liam Payne’s family members are “heartbroken” over his death.
“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” the late singer’s loved ones told BBC on Thursday, one day after his passing.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time,” the statement continued.
Payne died on Wednesday after falling from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
His fellow One Direction members — Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson — have yet to speak out.
However, Styles’ mom, Anne Twist, posted a broken heart emoji via Instagram Wednesday, captioned, “Just a boy.”
The former band’s drummer, Josh Devine, called the news “heartbreaking” on his Story.
“I just pray for Liam’s family and all that knew and loved him,” the musician, 33, told his followers. “Some of my fav memories in life were because of this man. No words.”
In addition to mom Karen, dad Geoff and sisters Nicola and Ruth, Payne is survived by his and ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole’s 7-year-old son, Bear.
The exes, who broke up in 2018, kept their little’s one face off of social media, but Payne recently called Bear his “mini-me.”
While celebrating his 31st birthday via Snapchat in August, the American Music Award winner quipped, “I didn’t get any dad socks yet. But I am going to speak to my son in a little bit, which I’m really excited about.
“Bless him,” he continued at the time. “He’s a big boy, and he looks like a mini-me, as if we need anymore me in the world.”
Payne traveled to Argentina on Oct. 2 to attend Horan’s concert, sharing his hopes to reconcile with his former bandmate on social media after going “awhile” without speaking.
His girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, fled the country two days before Payne’s death because she felt “so ready to leave” and return home.
Payne, who stayed behind, was allegedly “high and drunk” and “destroying his room,” according to a hotel manager named Esteban who called emergency operators moments before the performer’s fatal fall.
“We need you to send someone urgently because I don’t know if his life is in danger,” the employee said in audio obtained by Argentinian outlet La Nacion. “He is in a room that has a balcony and we are scared he might be endangering his life.”
The “Strip That Down” singer suffered a skull fracture and other “extremely serious injuries” upon impact, leading to his “immediate death” (via the US Sun).
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