"If Bear ever needs me I will be the uncle"— Louis Tomlinson pens heartfelt tribute for late One Direction member Liam Payne following his death

As the popular singer Liam Payne tragically died on October 16, 2024, his former bandmate, Louis Tomlinson, shared an emotional message on Instagram along with a picture of the deceased artist. Stating how “devastated” he is, Louis wrote:

“I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to every day, such a positive, funny, and kind soul. I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly, as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.”

In his heartfelt tribute, Louis shared that he is “really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye” and stated how he has been grateful to have Liam in his life. He mentioned that the two often spoke on the phone for hours and that he “would have loved to share the stage” with Liam Payne. He added:

“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was. I wish I got a chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I love you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X.”

For the unversed, Liam Payne, a former One Direction star, has tragically passed away at the age of 31 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from the third floor of a hotel in the upscale Palermo neighborhood.

As per the BBC, police discovered Liam Payne's body following an emergency call on Wednesday, and a preliminary autopsy suggests that he died from external and internal bleeding. Upon inspection of the area where he fell, authorities found items including alcohol and drugs.

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“We will take some time to grieve and process the loss”— One Direction pays tribute to former band member Liam Payne

Following Liam Payne's death, many colleagues, celebrities, friends, and fans were devastated. The singer’s former band, One Direction, which included Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles, also issued a statement remembering the late singer.

The statement read:

“In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time. We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam.”

Additionally, Harry Styles, another former bandmate, shared a statement with a photo of Liam Payne, stating:

“I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside hum as he did. 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.”

Liam Payne grew to fame after he appeared in The X Factor, where Simon Cowell formed the band One Direction, consisting of him and his bandmates. The band was formed in 2010 and dissolved in 2015, as all of the singers went their separate ways to perform solo.

During the five years together, the band released many hits and was known as one of the best-selling boy groups.