Niall Horan shared a loving tribute to One Direction bandmate Liam Payne on Friday after Payne tragically died after falling from a hotel room in Argentina on Wednesday.
“I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam,” Horan wrote in an Instagram post. “It just doesn’t feel real.”
He continued, “Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure. All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.”
He added, referring to Payne being in Argentina to see him play, “I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking.”
Horan’s statement comes just after the rest of One Direction shared individual tributes of their own as well. Harry Styles wrote on Thursday that “Liam lived wide-open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.”
Louis Tomlinson said that Payne “was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.” Zayn Malik wrote that “even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no fucks about telling people when they were wrong.”
The band itself shared a statement as well on Thursday. “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” One Direction said. “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”
Payne’s death shocked fans around the world given that he was only 31 years old. Many are grieving following one of the first and most significant deaths of an idol from their childhoods. In a post-autopsy report on Thursday, the Prosecutor’s Office in Argentina confirmed that Payne had died of multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding, and a cranial injury after he fell from his hotel room Wednesday.