Louis Tomlinson Says He's 'Struggling' With Liam Payne's Death, Calls Him 'Most Vital' Part of One Direction
Louis Tomlinson is admittedly "struggling" to come to terms with the death of Liam Payne, his onetime fellow One Direction member who unexpectedly died on Wednesday (Oct. 16).
Payne passed away at the age of 31 after falling form a three-story balcony at a hotel in Argentina, following an incident which is still under investigation by the authorities in the South American country.
On Thursday, One Direction broke their silence on Payne's death, saying they were "completely devastated" by the sad turn of events. Now, Tomlinson has given One Direction fans and mourners his own personal statement and a recollection of Liam's life.
Writing on Instagram, Tomlinson says, "I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I'd longed all my life for."
He continues, "Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band."
He adds, "And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam." Read the full post below.
In a final portion of the note addressed specifically to Payne, Tomlinson says, "I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I'm really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I'm so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours, reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I'd have with you for life."
He concludes, "I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn't to be."
As the news of Payne's death traveled the globe on Thursday, a report revealed the One Direction member "jumped" from his third-story balcony, resulting in his tragic death.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Buenos Aires Security Ministry communications director Pablo Policicchio revealed that Payne "had jumped from the balcony of his room."
He was found dead after the fall at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel. An autopsy revealed that Payne died after suffering a debilitating skull fracture.
"Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life. Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death," emergency medical doctor Alberto Crescenti said, according to The Mirror.
Article originally appeared on Music Times.
