Niall Horan’s brother shared an emotional tribute to Liam Payne after the One Direction star’s tragic death at age 31.
Greg, 37, detailed heartbreak and praised the ‘top young man’ for looking after his younger brother Niall during their time in the band.
In the update, shared to his Instagram, he recalled the first time he met Liam and the moment their families came together.
Liam died in Buenos Aires after falling from a hotel on Wednesday evening. Several witnesses said he had fallen from his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel shortly after 5pm (ART).
Greg wrote: ‘To say I’m heartbroken is an understatement a weird feeling this morning and all night.’
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Niall Horan’s brother shared an emotional tribute to Liam Payne after the One Direction star’s tragic death at age 31
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Liam Died in Buenos Aires after falling from a hotel on Wednesday. Several witnesses said he had fallen from his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel after 5pm (ART) (pictured in 2023)
He continued: ‘You were a top young boy to a man, a son, a brother, you are only one of 4 lads I was happy enough to take my place in Niall’s life as a brother.
‘You will be forever missed. Liam, words can’t describe how much I want to grab my brother and mind him now while the world shows their memories of you and him and the boys.
‘My heart goes out to your family parents and sisters and your son Bear and your 1D brothers.
’10th October we met and we started out that evening as 5 families into one big one 1D family thank you for all the laughs bro watch down on the all your family and mind them lots of love kiddo x x x 1D 4 LIFE x x x’
Elsewhere, Harry Styles’ mother Anne Twist shared her grief over the sudden passing Liam.
Anne, 56, took to Instagram posting a broken heart emoji over a black screen, with the caption: ‘Just a boy…’ alongside another broken heart.
Her 2.5 million followers expressed similar sentiments, with one writing, ‘Tragic and heartbreaking.’
‘I am in total shock. My condolences to your family and also to his family and friends,’ another added.
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Greg, 37, detailed heartbreak and praised the ‘top young man’ for looking after his younger brother Niall during their time in the band (Niall and Greg pictured in 2013)
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In the update, shared to his Instagram, he recalled the first time he met Liam and the moment their families came together
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Elsewhere, Harry Styles’ mother Anne Twist shared her grief over the sudden passing Liam (pictured in 2013)
Liam Payne’s final messages on Snapchat during trip to Argentina
The English star rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, alongside his former bandmates Harry, 30, Niall Horan, 31, Zayn Malik, 31, and Louis Tomlinson, 32.
The popstar had reportedly arrived in the Latin American country earlier this month to attend his ex bandmate Horan‘s concert.
Local police have since launched an investigation into the sudden death, as tributes flood in the wake of the tragedy.
A statement from local police said they arrived to the hotel after they were ‘informed of an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol’.
Officials heard a loud sound in the courtyard before discovering his body just after 5pm, reported the BBC.
According to TMZ, Liam ‘had been acting erratic in the hotel lobby and smashed his laptop’ before he ‘had to be carried back to his room’.
Police had received a call from a worker at the hotel requesting urgent help with an intoxicated guest, according to audio related to the case obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry.
‘When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone,’ the worker said.
Emergency medical services director Alberto Crescenti said Liam had suffered ‘very serious injuries after falling from a third floor into an internal courtyard’.
‘We verified his identity using the passport he had,’ he said.
‘Afterwards we found out he had been a famous singer. Unfortunately the injuries he had suffered as a result of the fall proved to be fatal. There was no possibility of resuscitating him.’
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Anne took to Instagram posting a broken heart emoji over a black screen
In the caption she wrote: ‘Just a boy…’ alongside another broken heart
Her 2.5 million followers expressed similar sentiments, with one writing, ‘Tragic and heartbreaking’ and another adding, ‘I am in total shock’
Mr Crescenti told Argentine newspaper Clarin that ‘the team saw that he apparently had a fracture at the base of the skull’.
His body was transported to a local morgue where a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
Unverified pictures have since emerged online claiming to be Liam’s hotel room completely trashed with one image showing a smashed television screen
The star’s final Snapchat post showed him happily posing with his partner Kate Cassidy as they looked into a mirror – a picture which was originally taken last August.
Further posts from the final moments of the star’s life showed him enjoying lunch in his hotel room, where he revealed the pair had been ‘waking up at 1pm every day’ and deciding on Forest Gump as a Halloween costume.
A further tragic selfie was captioned: ‘Lovely day in Argentina’ before the star shared a photo of his hotel, writing: ‘Happy I got some time away’ followed by a heart emoji.
He shared a further photo with Kate captioned: ‘Quality time.’
There has been an outpouring of tributes online, with fellow former X Factor contestants Jedward writing: ‘RIP Liam Payne. Condolences to his friends and family.’
They added: ‘Sending strength to Cheryl and his son Bear, and all the One Direction family.’
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Several witnesses said Payne had fallen from his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel shortly after 5pm (ART) Wednesday evening; he is seen in 2018
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The popstar had reportedly arrived in the Latin American country earlier this month to attend his ex bandmate Niall Horan’s concert
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A heartbreaking video shows Liam singing and dancing at Horan’s concert in Argentina just days before he was found dead
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Payne’s haunting final social media post showed him spending time with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy
Paris Hilton wrote: ‘So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne passing. Sending love and condolences to his family and loves ones. RIP my friend.
Stephen Bartlett penned: ‘I cannot believe what I’m reading about Liam Payne. Absolutely heartbreaking.’
MTV released the following tribute: ‘We’re deeply saddened to learn of Liam Payne’s tragic passing today. During this difficult time, our hearts remain with his family, loved one, and fans.’
He and his former bandmates Harry, Niall, Zayn, and Louis, were brought together by Simon Cowell and former judge Nicole Scherzinger who saw their potential as a group.
After just a few weeks of getting to know each other and non-stop rehearsing, the group impressed Simon at their Judge’s Houses audition and sailed through to the live shows.
Despite the adoration, the band ultimately finished in third place on the X Factor but shortly afterwards Cowell sealed their fate by signing the fivesome to contract with Syco.
Keen to capitalize on the boys’ already devoted fanbase, Cowell moved quickly with recording for the band’s debut album beginning in January 2011.
By September of that year One Direction’s first single was released with What Makes You Beautiful soaring to number one on the UK Singles Chart, after becoming the most pre-ordered Sony Music Entertainment single in history.
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In 2019, Liam candidly revealed he wouldn’t known what to say to Harry, due to how different they’ve become, calling himself the ‘antichrist version’; Harry and Liam seen in 2015
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‘I was looking at some pictures of him the other day, and I just thought: “I don’t know what more I’d say to him other than, ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you?” he shared; they are seen in 2015
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The English star rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction, alongside his former bandmates Harry, Niall, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson; (L-R) Liam, Niall, Louis, Zayn and Harry in 2013
Their debut album, Up All Night was also a best seller, becoming the UK’s fastest-selling debut album of 2011, with the record leading to their first tour which kicked off in the UK that December.
After Malik announced his departure from the band in 2015, the band members went their separate ways.
During their time as a group, One Direction won five Brit Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, amassed over three billion YouTube views and sold 50 million records worldwide.
After releasing five albums with one of the biggest boybands of all time, Liam released his first — and only — solo album titled LP1 in 2019.
In 2019, Liam very candidly revealed that he wouldn’t even known what to say to his former band mate Harry, due to how different they’ve become, and that thinks his clothes are ‘weird.’
Speaking during an interview with The Face magazine, Liam admitted that there is now a ‘mystery’ surrounding Harry and his transformation into a solo artist.
Discussing the star, he said: ‘There’s so much mystery around who he’s become. I was looking at some pictures of him the other day, and I just thought: “I don’t know what more I’d say to him other than, ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you?”.
Liam went on to make clear the disparity between the two artists and pointed out that the music they are currently making is very different.
He said: ‘I mean, look at the stuff I put out and the stuff Harry puts out. Polar opposite. I’m like the antichrist version of what Harry is.’
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During their time as a band, One Direction won five Brit Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, amassed over three billion YouTube views and sold 50 million records worldwide; seen in 2010
While Liam’s outfit choices leaned towards more mainstream style, he was quizzed on what he thinks of Harry’s ‘big trousers’ and he didn’t mince his words.
He replied: ‘… I couldn’t put myself in that. I’d look f**king… It’d look weird.’
That same year he also spoke with Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa and said: ‘I haven’t seen or heard from Harry in some time now, which is fine, everyone needs their space.’
‘Would I like to get back together? Yeah, definitely. I don’t see any reason why we can’t but if that’s the way he feels that’s up to him really.’
