Liam Payne, former member of One Direction, has tragically passed away at the age of 31, and now, his heartbreaking final text has been revealed.
The singer rose to fame after appearing on The X Factor, forming One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
Following the band’s hiatus, Payne signed with Republic Records, releasing his debut single ‘Strip That Down’ in 2017.
Sadly, it was confirmed this week that Payne had passed away at just 31 years old.
And now, his final text message has resurfaced.
In the wake of Payne’s death, tributes have poured in to honor the late singer.
One penned: “Heartbreaking to hear about Liam Payne’s passing… Sending love and condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace.”
Another added: “RIP Liam Payne. Thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.”
A third wrote: “He shaped a generation of music and was pivotal in one of the greatest bands of all time. His influence is global. Rest in peace, legend.”
While another commented: “I’m heartbroken by the news of Liam Payne’s sudden death. He was such a gifted artist, gone far too soon. His music will be sorely missed.”
According to reports from Buenos Aires, Payne tragically fell from a hotel balcony around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, as first reported by TMZ.
Payne was reportedly in Buenos Aires to attend a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan, according to local media.
Just an hour prior to the incident, Payne had posted on Snapchat about his plans for the day, which included playing polo, as noted by Sky News.
TMZ also reported that Payne’s girlfriend, Texas model Kate Cassidy, had left Argentina on October 14.
Cassidy later shared a heartfelt message in one of Payne’s last photos before his passing, showing him horseback riding, captioned, “I am very grateful for the simple things in life.”
Payne’s final Snapchat post, reportedly shared just minutes before his death, showed him and Cassidy smiling in a mirror selfie, as MailOnline noted.
Within an hour of the news of his death breaking, The Sun revealed that footage surfaced of Payne having breakfast with Cassidy earlier that day.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, spoke to Argentina’s Todo Noticias TV channel, confirming that Payne fell into a hotel courtyard.
A 911 call was made shortly after, and when police arrived at the Casa Sur Hotel in Palermo, a loud noise was reportedly heard coming from the courtyard.
Crescenti explained that Payne fell approximately 40 meters, sustaining severe injuries that were ‘incompatible with life.’
He stated: “The alarm was raised at 5:04 p.m. local time, saying a person was lying in an internal patio at Casa Sur. At 5:11 p.m., an ambulance arrived, and the man was certified dead. Afterward, we found out he had been a famous singer.”
Crescenti added that Payne’s death was due to multiple traumas and significant internal and external bleeding, as revealed by preliminary autopsy results, per the Mirror.
Police were reportedly called to the hotel after receiving reports of an ‘aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.’
And now, Payne’s final text message has been confirmed by his friend.
Payne’s close friend, Jodie Richards, has shared with Sky News the final messages she received from the singer in the hours before his death.
Richards, who taught Payne at her performing arts school, Pink Productions, in Wolverhampton, revealed that when she first heard the news of his death after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, she thought it was a hoax and tried calling him.
Payne had messaged her earlier that week to check in, and their conversation was casual. He later sent her a photo of himself in his hotel room in Argentina, but nothing seemed unusual in their exchanges.
On the morning of the day he died, Payne messaged Jodie to ask if she was awake.
She responded later, asking if he was okay, to which he replied, ‘yeah,’ and said he was just ‘chilling’ in Argentina.
Jodie was shocked when she learned of his death, initially thinking it was ‘fake news.’
She tried calling and texting him, but when the messages went unread, she started to realize it might be true.
She expressed her disbelief, calling it a ‘wicked waste of a life’ and remembering Payne as someone who had much to look forward to, both personally and professionally.
She described him as a ‘cheeky chappy’ who always made people laugh.
Payne is survived by his seven-year-old son Bear Grey Payne, from his previous relationship with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy, as well as his parents Geoff and Karen Payne, and his two sisters, Ruth and Nicola.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues mentioned, help is available. In the U.S., contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741. In the U.K., reach out to Samaritans for free at 116 123 or visit their website for support.
