Girlfriend and sister pay tribute to Liam Payne one year after his death

Late Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy and his two sisters Ruth Gibbins and Nicola Payne have paid tribute to the One Direction star on the first anniversary of his death.

Cassidy, 26, posted a black-and-white photo of herself cuddling up with Liam in bed on Instagram on Thursday, October 16. “Today marks a full year without you here,” Cassidy wrote in the caption. “I hate goodbyes forever. I miss you so much Liam.”

Cassidy also shared a playful video on TikTok of Liam picking her up on the grass.

Cassidy received an outpouring of support in the comments section. Elizabeth Hurley’s son Damian Hurley wrote: “Love you so much 💔❤️.”

Liam was a member of the band One Direction along with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan. The band formed on X Factor UK in 2010 and went on to become one of the defining pop acts of the decade. Liam co-wrote many of the band’s hits, including ‘Diana’, ‘Story of My Life’ and ‘No Control’.

Liam died on October 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A subsequent autopsy determined that he died from “polytrauma,” meaning multiple injuries involving multiple organs and systems, the National Library of Medicine said.

A toxicology report released by prosecutors in November said there were traces of “alcohol, cocaine and prescribed antidepressants” in Liam’s system at the time of his death.

Liam’s sister Gibbins, 34, shared her own tribute on Instagram. Gibbins opened the post with a photo of her late brother in a Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired costume, followed by a long line paying tribute to him.

“One year, 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days…no matter how you say it, the fact that you are no longer here still represents the most heartbreaking truth,” Gibbins wrote. “When you went away on tour and cried when you were gone for a while, I always knew you would come back. But now I can’t take you home or see you anywhere in the world. I can’t check on you via FaceTime or text. I’m eternally homesick because I can’t go back.”

Ms Gibbins went on to say she had “underestimated” her grief and was “numb” to it every day. “I thought I had felt it before, but I know your loss was just intense sadness. You are the loss of my life and the only person I will miss in every part of my life,” she continued. “I took it for granted that my brother would be by my side for the rest of my life. What a cruel lesson to have to learn in my 30s, that my brother is not always alive and I have to face this without you.”

She went on to write that Liam “shouldn’t have died” so young. Gibbins then said, “The nightmare keeps repeating. I was in your hotel room right before it happened, and I can’t hear you screaming for you, my brain is fixed on your last moments on earth, the minutes that are never explained, the minutes that will never have answers, the minutes that changed everything.”

Gibbins wrote that Payne will “continue to be in awe” of his 8-year-old son Bear, whom he shares with ex Cheryl Cole.

“I saw a post on TikTok that said, ‘What would you do if you had 5 more minutes with the person you miss the most?'” Gibbins wrote. It will be in your house. I want to be in the room first, hear my feet and ankles click as I walk towards the room, and feel the joy the moment I enter with my shoulders lowered in a unique way. ”

she continued. “Then we asked you to take a walk in your garden, which has always been a place for us to really catch up on plans and things that were bothering us. We stopped to hear a bird chirping, and you said, ‘That’s a woodpecker,’ and we agreed that I didn’t know anything about birds. When I made a joke, your eyes lit up and you laughed like a child.”

Gibbins said she is looking for traces of her late brother’s presence in her life. “I’m now the girl who looks into the eyes of a robin, wondering if it were you, the girl who wishes the butterflies ahead of her would land on her, the girl who says ‘Goodnight, Liam’ to the stars every night so I can find you there,” she wrote.

Gibbins wrote, “Wherever you are, I hope you can hear my voice. I hope you can guide me. And I hope you know that the love I have for you is limitless. I hope that in every lifetime I get the chance to be your sister,” Gibbins concluded, “In every lifetime, always love Liam,” before sharing another family photo. Liam’s ex-girlfriend Daniel Peazer commented on the post with a heart emoji.

Nicola Payne, 37, also paid tribute. “One year ago today was a day I never want to see again,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

Nicola continued, “Our lives were changed forever and our hearts were left missing and broken. That night, without realizing what you were going through or that you were alone, Fifion and I were watching Dinosaurs on TV, and… I said to her, “The next time I see Uncle Liam, he’ll tell me all about his favorite dinosaurs.” I didn’t know it until the words left my mouth and I looked at the pictures of dinosaurs I took to show you. There will be no next time. There will never be an opportunity to do something so normal for other people.”

She continued, “We weren’t able to say goodbye and we didn’t know that every last thing had already happened. We sit and listen to the world’s views, their views on what we should do, what they think they know, but like so much of your life, it doesn’t seem fair. We were only a fraction of the ridicule you received in life and in death, and that was excruciating.”

Nicola added that her brother “never forgot” his thoughts. “We retell the story to bring you closer. We apologize and thank you for all you have done for us and for all you have shown us. Those memories will be cherished forever,” she wrote.

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“I continue to acknowledge you every day, as if you were still here. I talk about you with Fionn and include you in everything we do. I look for the brightest star in the sky, because that’s Uncle Liam. School It stops raining before I go, because that’s Uncle Liam. I see rainbows, butterflies, and clouds, because that’s Uncle Liam. I accidentally lost a balloon that floated gently toward the sky, and I knew that was what Uncle Liam meant.” It’s a celebration,” Nicola continued.

Nicola wrote: “But with moments like these comes pain. That pain never heals. There is always something or someone missing. And I know that will remain as long as I live.”

Nicola described her late brother as a “precious, kind, brilliant, extremely talented and unique uncle” to her children.

Speaking about Liam’s strong bond with his son, she wrote: “We will make sure Bear knows about his amazing dad, not just your accomplishments and successes over the years, but everything that made you who you are.”

“My hopes and dreams for you are still the same: that you are happy, that you know how much you are loved, that you are safe, that you have friends above you, that you can talk to, that can be with you, that you are funny and loving. I hope you continue to brighten up the spaces you enter, that your laughter brightens people’s moods, that our Nans and Grandfathers let you play whenever they get the chance, and that the crowds listen to the singing and smiling boy.” Like I was born to do it,” Nicola continued.

Nicola concluded her statement with a collage of family photos, writing: “We also hope you’re proud of us, and if you’re proud, we hope you stay proud. We’re trying really hard here, but sometimes it’s very difficult. I don’t want you to be a photo on my shelf or a video on my phone. I want you to be here with us. I love you, Liam. I will never miss you and I will always be proud of you.”