As Liam Payne’s loved ones ‘just want him home’, his devoted dad Geoff is refusing to leave his side and his proud sister Ruth has promised to take care of his son Bear
The body of beloved One Direction star Liam Payne remains in Argentina as his family tackles the logistics of bringing him home to the UK.
The singer devastatingly died aged 31 on Wednesday, October 16, while on holiday in Buenos Aires. Police and prosecutors continue to investigate the tragedy that led to the dad-of-one falling to his death from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel.
A post-mortem examination has determined that Liam died from multiple injuries, however, his death is being treated as ‘inconclusive’. Meanwhile, the lead investigator has called for more tests to confirm whether Liam was intoxicated and drugged.
In the wake of the horrifying ordeal, Liam’s mother, Karen, has shared her devastation after losing her ‘baby boy’ and only son. Speaking to a friend of the family, she said: “I’ve lost my beautiful boy.”
Speaking on Thursday, a statement from Liam’s family read: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
Elsewhere, Liam’s brother-in-law Nick Farnell said: “We’re obviously devastated at the news.” Karen’s friend, hairdresser Nick Malenko said: “He was a beautiful boy inside and out. It’s absolutely shocking and devastating that such a young and talent life has gone. We are never going to see him again. There are so many tears here, how can we put how we feel into words?”
Addressing Liam’s final hours, a family friend has said the singer “would have lived” if an ambulance had been called immediately when he was acting “erratically” in the lobby and he hadn’t been sent back to his room while “in a psychotic state”. According to the source, Liam “didn’t want to die” and had promised his loved ones that he would never take his own life.
They told The Mail on Sunday: “Liam didn’t have to die. Liam didn’t want to die. He had promised us all he would never commit suicide. He was looking forward to the future. If someone had called an ambulance when he collapsed in the hotel lobby instead of taking him back to his room and leaving him in there alone, in a psychotic state, he would still be with us.”
Liam was just 16 years old when he left his mum Karen, dad Geoff and two sisters in Wolverhampton to move into a London mansion with his new bandmates. There was no time for looking back. Thanks to the growing role of social media, The X Factor’s One Direction was already huge before anyone had even seen them perform.
On the film of their 2012 tour, mum Karen, a nurse, appeared with a lifesize cardboard cut-out of her 19-year-old son. She said: “If I have this, I can still see him every day.” She sobbed: “He left home my little boy and became the boy in a magazine. When I see him on stage, I absolutely burst with pride but we do miss him so much.”
Geoff, a fitter, teared up as he told of missing Liam’s “rites of passage”, saying: “He’s the only lad in the family and I’ll never get this time back. He’s gone.”
Now, in Argentina, Geoff is refusing to leave his son’s side as the family hope to fly his body home this week “back where he belongs”. A source said: “Liam’s loved ones just want him home, back where he belongs among his family.
“As they await the pathologist to finish their tests, behind the scenes, they have been tackling the logistics about how best to get his body back to the UK. There are no direct commercial flights between Buenos Aires and London, but naturally, they want the flight to have the least stops and interruptions possible. But Geoff is determined to accompany his son home.”
Meanwhile, Liam’s proud sister Ruth has shared a heartfelt tribute to her “brother and best friend” on Instagram. Writing an emotional letter to the late star on Saturday, she said: “Liam, my brain is struggling to catch up with what’s happening and I don’t understand where you’ve gone. I just want to drive to your house and walk in to music blasting and find you sat there writing a song or walk into your art phases and sit with you while you draw or craft.”
She went on: “What I love most about you is your ability to make me laugh. I never chuckle as much as I do when I’m with you with anyone else. I’m always in awe of your talent it should be illegal to be so talented and just have the ability to not only be good at things but to be bloody great at everything you attempt, without even knowing you’re absolutely smashing it each time.”
“I love your kindness and how proud I am to call you my brother and my best friend. You also make a great Sunday dinner too!” she joked. “I don’t feel this world was good enough or kind enough to have 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!”
Of Liam’s son Bear, she said: “We’ll take care of Bear and he will always know how incredible his dad is and how much you idolise him. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. Love you, oh how my heart misses you, Ru xxx”. She added: “One last time I need you to know, I’m here if you need anything. I’d drive to the end of the universe to bring you back.”
