Liam Payne‘s sister and dad, Ruth Gibbins and Geoff Payne, are grieving the loss of their brother and son, respectively. The ‘One Direction’ singer died on Oct. 16 at age 31. In addition to family and friends, the artist is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear.
Days after Liam’s fatal fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina, his father flew to the country to identify his body, make transport arrangements, and visit the hotel where he passed away. Meanwhile, a day later, Ruth penned a heartbreaking public message about the unexpected death.
RELATED: Details About Liam Payne’s Death Revealed By Argentina Police & Preliminary Autopsy Report
His death is still under investigation. However, earlier this week, an Argentine police official stated that Liam “jumped.” The fall came after the hotel manager called 911 for a guest’s alleged erratic behavior in the lobby and in his room.
Geoff Payne Visits Son’s Tribute Site At Argentine Hotel
As mentioned, BBC reports that Geoff visited CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 18. As he pulled up to the scene, Liam’s grieving dad was swarmed by paparazzi.
Fans attempted to give Geoff Payne privacy by raising their arms to block the camera flashes as the dad read tribute messages outside the hotel. There were 100s of notes, photos, flowers, and candles combined wrapped around a street pole.
(Photo by Luciano Gonzalez/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Liam Payne’s Sister Breaks Her Silence About His Death
On Saturday (Oct. 19), Liam Payne’s sister spoke out about the pain of losing her brother. She posted a lengthy statement on Instagram and throwback photos of her and Liam laughing, hanging out, celebrating her wedding, and more.
She opened her letter by speaking in general about him, recalling their bond and life as his sister. In a second slide, she addressed her late brother directly. Ruth wrote that she’s “struggling to catch up with what’s happening.” Liam Payne’s sister added that she wants to find him at his home writing a song and sit with him through another art phase. She recalled the characteristics she loved about her brother. Her list included his ability to make her laugh, how he conquered everything he tried, his kindness, and Sunday dinners.
“I don’t feel this world was good enough or kind enough to you, and quite often over the last few years, you’ve had to really try hard to overcome all that was being aimed at you. You just wanted to be loved and to make people happy with your music. You never believed you were good enough, I hope you can now see this outpouring of love that you never received in your time. Thank you for changing my life, thank you for the incredible memories, thank you for being the best brother and friend I’ll ever have! We’ll take care of Bear and he ill always know how incredible his Dad is and how much you idolize him.”
To close the letter, she apologized for not being able to “save” him. “…I’d drive to the end of the universe to bring you back,” Ruth Gibbins wrote.
Since Liam’s death on Wednesday, his son’s mother, Cheryl Cole, and his girlfriend at the time of his death, Kate Cassidy, have spoken out.
Liam Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, shared a message to her Instagram story.
"I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely." 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/xZwDJvwi67
— iHeartRadio (@iHeartRadio) October 18, 2024
His former ‘One Direction’ bandmates, including Zayn, Louis, and Harry Styles, have also issued statements.
