Liam Payne’s sister Nicola revealed she found out about his death online while paying tribute to the singer.
“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 started her lengthy statement shared on Instagram on Monday.
“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,” she expressed before noting that he was “too good for this earth.”
She also remembered him as an “angel who just lived for making people smile and happy” and “showing kindness to everyone” he met.
Nicola pointed out that, as a family, they didn’t take “many pictures” with the singer because they didn’t want to make him feel like he was “in a room of fans.” However, they were his “biggest fans always and forever.”
In her heartwrenching message, Nicola recalled when Liam met her daughter, Ffion, and “how excited” he was to be an uncle.
“You led your life with a motto of why bother doing something unless you are brilliant at it, and Liam you were certainly brilliant at everything you did!! Unfortunately this cruel world is always to [sic] 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,” she continued.
“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.”
Nicola also promised that the family “will make sure [his son] Bear knows about his daddy and how much” he loved him.
Along with her touching message, Nicola shared several snaps of them with their sister, Ruth Gibbins, as well as some of Liam with her daughter. She also posted a photo of Liam singing during a One Direction concert.
Nicola’s message comes after the former One Director member died on Oct. 16 due to a fall from the balcony of his third-story room in Argentina’s CasaSur Palermo Hotel. He was 31.
On Saturday, Gibbins also shared her own emotional tribute to Liam, expressing her regrets for not being able to “save” him.
“I don’t believe this is happening,” she began in an Instagram post Saturday. “No one could ever make me laugh as much as him, doing his impressions always had me creasing and he loved seeing how much of a laugh he could get.”
Gibbins also talked about her favorite memories with Liam, which included having tea with him after work and picking him up after One Direction concerts.
“Liam loved 1D, he loved his brothers and we talked about it so much. He would just play song after song that had been recorded but never used and we’d sit having a mini 1D concert,” she said, referencing fellow One Direction members Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles.
Gibbins also touched on Payne’s personal struggles over the last few years.
“I don’t feel this world was good enough or kind enough to you, and quite often over the last few years, you’ve had to really try hard to overcome all that was being aimed at you,” she wrote.
“You just wanted to be loved and to make people happy with your music. You never believed you were good enough, I hope you can now see this outpouring of love that you never received in your time.”
Echoing Nicola’s sentiments, Gibbins promised to “take care of” Liam’s 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with ex Cheryl Cole.
“He will always know how incredible his Dad is and how much you idolize him,” she wrote. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. Love you, oh how my heart misses you.”
Gibbins concluded emotionally, “One last time I need you to know, I’m here if you need anything, I’d drive to the end of the universe to bring you back.”
Liam’s family also released a statement one day after his death, in which they said, “Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
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