Harry Styles shared an emotional tribute to his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne on Thursday, a day after Payne died after falling from a hotel room in Argentina Wednesday evening.
“I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing,” Styles wrote on Instagram Thursday. “His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it. Liam lived wide-open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.”
Styles called his former bandmate “warm, supportive and incredibly loving,” further stating that his “heart breaks” for Payne’s parents, siblings and his son, Bear.
“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life,” Styles wrote. “I will miss him always, my lovely friend.”
The band itself shared a statement earlier Thursday, saying that they are “completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” One Direction said. “But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.”
The prosecutor’s office in Argentina shared the cause of Payne’s death Thursday, stating that Payne had died of multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a cranial injury from the fall.
Payne’s unexpected death has shocked One Direction fans and inspired many tributes from fellow musicians. Both Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik shared their own personal remembrances of their friend and bandmate as well.
“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life,” Malik wrote. “When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved.”
In an emotional post, Tomlinson credited Payne as “the most vital part of One Direction,” adding, “His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us, Liam.”