Harry Styles' 'Heart Breaks' After Liam Payne's Tragic Death

Harry Styles has shared his heartfelt reaction to the tragic passing of his former One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne, who died in Argentina.

In an emotional Instagram post Styles expressed, "I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honor to stand by him as he did just that."

Styles described Payne as someone who lived life fully, with "his heart on his sleeve," adding, "He had an infectious energy for life. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will always be among the most cherished of my life. I will miss him forever, my lovely friend."

He concluded his tribute by sending love to Payne’s family, saying, "My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola, Ruth, his son Bear, and everyone around the world who knew and loved him as I did."

Image Courtesy: People

Payne, who was 31, tragically fell several stories from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, as confirmed by Policía Federal Argentina. Preliminary autopsy reports indicate he died from multiple injuries and "internal and external" hemorrhages, with coroner findings showing 25 injuries consistent with a fall from a height.

Just hours before Styles shared his tribute, the remaining members of One Direction—Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson—issued a joint statement expressing their sorrow. "We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing," they wrote. "In time, when we’re ready, there will be more to say. But for now, we need to take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly." They also noted, "The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam."

Image Courtesy: People

One Direction was formed in 2010 during the U.K. reality show ‘The X Factor’, where the judges combined solo contestants Payne, Styles, Malik, Horan, and Tomlinson. Although they didn’t win that season, they became one of the best-selling boy bands in history.

–Farheen Ali