Liam Payne’s ex-girlfriend Danielle Peazer, who dated the singer on and off for two years until 2013, is speaking out after his tragic death at 31.
The dancer, 36, shared a heartfelt letter to Instagram on Sunday, revealing the final sentiments the One Direction alum sent to her before his death.
“Receiving a message from you a couple of weeks ago expressing your happiness for the love I found with Sonny and Mia is something I’ll cherish forever,” Peazer penned, referring to her partner, Sonny Jay, and their daughter, Mia.
The mom of one also touched on Payne’s 7-year-old son Bear, whom he shares with ex Cheryl Cole, writing, “His most important role and something he was the most proud of out of all of his monumental successes was that he was a father.”
“The thought that there is a now a child growing up without one of their parents is heartbreaking and unfair,” Peazer continued. “To Liam’s son Bear, as well as his parents and sisters, my love, thoughts and strength goes to you. The magnitude of this loss is incomprehensible and I will continue to support you in any way I am able to.”
Peazer also shared a statement directed toward Payne, where she used his initials, “LJP,” and noted how his death “still doesn’t feel real.”
“Despite being aware of your struggles over the years, I hoped and prayed that this day would never come. But now we’re all facing the reality of living a life without your presence,” the influencer went on.
“It’s common at times like this for people to say ‘I hope he knew how much I cared about him’ but I know that you knew how I felt, it was one thing we were really good at – being brutally honest with our feelings for each other, whether the other wanted to hear it or not.”
Calling Payne her “favorite person in the whole world,” she also recognized how he would “wind me up so much.”
She added: “[I] probably annoyed the hell out of you sometimes too.”
“It was something we learned to accept of each other over 14 years, we could disagree on so many things yet still look out for each other in times of need and laugh about our disagreements and petty behavior 10 mins later.”
“Our relationship may have ended back in 2013, but that seemed to be just the start of our story.” Peazer went on to say, “The things we went through and experienced from then all the way until last year could be described as unique to some and misunderstood by others, but I think deep down we always knew we’d have some sort of connection forever, no matter where our individual lives took us.”
“It took a little longer for you to figure out the person you wanted to be in order to be your happiest, but whilst most of us have our teens and twenties to learn about ourselves, you spent those years giving more to the world than you ever needed to. I wish you knew that you were always more than enough for this world without having to search for a role to play just to please others.”
Peazer thanked Payne for “teaching me about the importance of setting boundaries, and that I should always protect my heart,” before concluding the touching tribute, “I’m sorry your story didn’t end differently, and I’m sorry you didn’t ever get to share more of your magic with the world. Rest easy my friend.”
Payne fell to his death from the third floor of his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday.
Medical officials confirmed that the star had a “cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.
Witnesses told TMZ that Payne, who had gone to drug rehab in the past, was acting “erratic” before his sudden passing. He allegedly smashed his laptop in the hotel lobby and was carried back to his room before the fall, and was also “going through some kind of [issue] due to substance abuse,” officials said.
While officials initially said Payne had “jumped,” the autopsy report said he fell.
Communications Director for the Buenos Aires Security Ministry Pablo Policicchio told Page Six that investigators are still working to determine if the tragedy was accidental or intentional; however, they do not feel a third party was involved.