One Direction star’s grief-stricken family say he had ‘a kind, funny and brave soul’ following his tragic death in Argentina

Liam Payne’s “heartbroken” family on Thursday released an emotional statement about the One Direction star after his death on Wednesday.

“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” they said.

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“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

Payne died aged 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Alberto Crescenti, head of the Buenos Aires emergency services, revealed Payne had a “cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death”.

The singer was in Argentina to support his One Direction bandmate Niall Horan’s tour, with Payne filmed singing and dancing at a concert just days before his death.

Payne rose to fame as a member of the best-selling boy band, which Simon Cowell formed during the 2010 series of The X Factor. In their six-year stint, the band sold more than 70 million records worldwide and won numerous, including seven Brit Awards, four MTV VMAs and six Billboard Music Awards.

He leaves behind his parents, two siblings, and the son he shared with the singer Cheryl Tweedy, who professionally goes by Cheryl.

Here’s all you need to know about Payne’s family.

Parents, Karen and Geoff Payne

Payne was born to Karen and Geoff in Wolverhampton in 1993.

His mum was a nursery nurse while his dad was a fitter.

They often expressed their pride in their son. His father’s Instagram biography reads: “Proud to call myself Liam Payne’s father.”

Nine weeks ago, Mr Payne posted a photo of his son and his dog with the caption: “#like if you love my son!”. The post has since attracted many messages of condolence for the Payne family.

In the band’s 2013 documentary, This Is Us, Ms Payne cried after buying a cardboard cut-out of Payne in New York’s Madison Square Garden. “When I see him on stage, I absolutely burst with pride, but we do miss him so much,” she said.

Mr Payne also spoke in the film, reflecting on missing out on “rites of passage” such as seeing Payne finish school and buying him his first beer.

“It’s not just the mums, it’s the dads that struggle, too,” he said: “I mean, I can’t offer him much, I could take him out for a drink or play some pool. But he’s the only lad in the family and I’ll never get this time back, he’s gone. And I can’t give him advice because he has seen more of the world than me.”

Sisters, Nicola and Ruth Payne

Liam wasn’t Karen and Geoff’s only child; he leaves behind two older sisters, Nicola and Ruth.

After the death of TV personality Caroline Flack in 2020, Ruth Payne tweeted a message about social media users being kinder online, especially concerning her younger brother.

“I don’t use twitter alot anymore as this is the darkest place ive seen in the past in regards to comments about my brother and everyday it makes em worry if hes strong enough to take that much negatively in public daily,” she wrote.

Both Payne’s sisters have shared images with their brother over the years. In 2021, he shared a now-deleted photo with his siblings at a family gathering.

Son, Bear

Payne’s son, Bear Grey Payne, seven, was born in London on March 22, 2017.

He had him with singer Cheryl Tweedy, the former Girls Aloud star who goes by the professional name Cheryl.

The pair generally kept Bear’s life private, sharing only limited glimpses of him on social media. They emphasised their desire to protect his privacy as he grew up.

On his 31st birthday in August, Payne shared a video on Instagram where he called his son his “mini-me”.

He said: “Bless him. He’s getting so big now. He’s a good boy, and he looks like a mini-me.

Liam Payne’s son Bear was born in London in March 2017
@LiamPayne Instagram

“As if we needed any more me in the world.”

Payne and Cheryl first met in 2008 when he auditioned for The X Factor, where she was a judge. They became close friends but did not begin dating until 2016.

Their relationship became public in February 2016. Liam was 22 and Cheryl was 33, which sparked media attention due to their age difference.

After more than two years together, they announced their split in July 2018. Despite their break-up, they maintained a positive co-parenting relationship, often expressing their commitment to raising Bear together.