Tributes have been pouring in for the 31-year-old singer who fell from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in the capital Buenos Aires.
Former One Direction star Liam Payne has died after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
The 31-year-old singer suffered “extremely serious injuries” after falling from the third floor at the hotel in the capital Buenos Aires, police said.
Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system, said on Argentinian television that Payne, who had a seven-year-old son with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, fell into a courtyard of the CasaSur Hotel in the city’s Palermo neighbourhood.
The official declined to answer questions about how he came to fall from the balcony.
Mr Crescenti said authorities were investigating the circumstances of his death and conducting a post-mortem.
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Meanwhile, a transcript has been released of the emergency call the hotel desk manager made to 911 after the fall.
The hotel manager is heard saying he has a “guest drunk with drugs and alcohol”, adding: “He is breaking everything in the room.”
He later tells the operator they “need to send someone with urgency because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger because he is in a room with a balcony”.
The hotel manager continues: “We are afraid he could do something that threatens life.”
The 911 operator says the police and emergency medical workers have been sent to the scene.
Argentinian media reported that Payne was in Buenos Aires to attend the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan earlier this month.
Fans flocked to the hotel after news of Payne’s death broke, with many expressing shock and heartbreak.
One Direction fans from across the world have also been sharing poignant tributes to Payne on social media.
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In the hours before his death, photos shared from the singer’s Snapchat account showed him with his partner Kate Cassidy.
There was also clips, including one where he said it was a “lovely day here in Argentina”.
It appears the videos were filmed earlier in the week and then posted in his final hours.
“Just enjoying coffee and breakfast, even though it’s like 1pm,” he said. “Literally sleep in every day until like 12. We’re such losers.”
The star spoke about “going to ride some horses” and said: “Think I’m going to play polo again which is going to put me out of action for about six weeks.”
“It’s going to be a nice day,” he added.
Payne had embarked on a solo career after One Direction announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus in 2015.
The band was formed on The X Factor in 2010, with Payne featuring alongside Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles. They were mentored by Simon Cowell who had also created the show.
The group finished third before signing with Cowell’s “Syco” record label and going on to become one of the best-selling boybands of all time.
Payne’s relationship with Cheryl, who was a judge on the X Factor, began in 2016 and ended in 2018. They named their son Bear.
Britain’s Got Talent, another show created by Cowell, has cancelled its auditions in Blackpool today in light of Payne’s death.
It comes as tributes from the entertainment industry have been pouring in for Payne since news of the tragedy emerged.
In a post from its official X account, the team at the X Factor wrote: “We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne.
“He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world.”
Separately, Dermot O’Leary, a former host of the show, posted a photo of himself and Payne on Instagram, writing: “The worst news. I remember him as a 14-year-old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing.”
TV presenter Rylan Clark, a former X Factor contestant, said: “Extremely sad news. (Very) tragic and so young. RIP Liam.”
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, Hip hop icon Flavor Flav, boxer Chris Eubank Jr and former Cultural Club singer Boy George are also among those who have paid tribute.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also offered his condolences, with his official spokesman saying: “The Prime Minister’s sincere condolences are with Liam’s family and friends at this time.
“One Direction were one of the biggest bands in history and their music had a huge impact on many millions of fans around the world.”
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Payne, who was born in Wolverhampton, had a complicated personal life and spoken openly about his struggles with alcoholism and mental health. He was also diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
He had previously spoken about suffering with suicidal thoughts, admitting that he was “lucky to still be here”.
In 2019, Payne addressed his mental health on Sky show Straight Talking with Ant Middleton, where he spoke about his struggles with fame.
Describing fame as like “having a weird midlife crisis”, Payne said: “For some certain circumstances, I’m quite lucky to be here still.”
Since October 2022, Payne has been linked to influencer Cassidy, recently posting on Instagram that they “make each other better people”, and adding: “For the first time in my life I’m happy to be me and that’s priceless.”
He was previously engaged to Maya Henry, with their relationship ending in 2022.
Earlier this week, it was reported she had issued legal proceedings – instructing lawyers to issue a cease and desist letter to Payne – and she posted a video on TikTok claiming the singer had been repeatedly sending her unwanted messages.
Last week, the Sun reported Payne had parted with his management company and shelved plans for a second solo album.
Son Who Didn’t Visit His Mother for Years Comes and Sees Her House Destroyed – Story of the Day
Adam didn’t visit his mother for years, neglecting her after he started having a life of his own. One day, he had to pick up some documents from her home, only to find the home destroyed and abandoned.
Diana Evans raised her son Adam alone. Although she struggled, she worked very hard to feed him and pay for his education. After graduating from high school, he decided to attend a university halfway across the country.
Although Diana was sad, she happily sent Adam off to study and live in New York while she remained in California. They would keep in touch during his first few years there, and he would call his mother whenever he had time.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Diana never got to visit Adam in New York throughout his years in college. Their primary mode of communication was through phone calls, and although these started to lessen as time passed, Diana still appreciated them very much.
When Adam was set to graduate from university, he called his mom to invite her over. “Hey, mom!” he said on the phone.
“Hi Adam, it’s so great to hear from you! How have you been?” she said excitedly.
“I’m good, mom! I’m calling because I’m finally graduating in two weeks. Will you be able to come over?” he asked.
Hearing that, Diana was so proud and could feel her tears coming. She’d do anything to see her precious son march to get his diploma. “Of course, Adam. I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss it! I’m so proud of you!” She smiled.
After ending the call, Diana proceeded to look for flights to New York. She was surprised to see how expensive the flights were, and she immediately realized she didn’t have enough money to purchase a round-trip ticket and a special graduation gift for Adam.
She decided to take in some extra work as a babysitter to earn money. She babysat for long hours to earn her money faster. When she had enough savings, she excitedly purchased her ticket and went to the department store to buy Adam a gift.
Diana circled the store for a couple of minutes before settling with a watch. She realized that any professional needed a nice and decent watch, so she wanted to give one to her son.
“Please wrap it nicely with a ribbon,” she told the saleslady. “It’s a graduation gift for my son. He’s graduating from a top university in New York!” she gushed.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“That’s awesome! You must be so proud. Congratulations!” the saleslady said, packing the watch.
A couple of days later, Diana excitedly made her way to New York. Adam picked her up from the airport, and together they drove to his campus, where the graduation ceremony would start shortly.
Diana excitedly pulled out her cellphone and started to snap pictures. When it was Adam’s turn to receive his diploma, she couldn’t help but stand and cheer her heart out. “That’s my son!” she exclaimed.
After the ceremony, Adam met Diana and enveloped her in a hug. “Oh, son, congratulations!” she said as they embraced.
“Thanks, mom. This is all because of you,” he smiled. “Let’s have a good dinner now,” he said, walking with his mom towards the university exit.
Adam and Diana ate at a fancy New York steak restaurant and had a nice dinner together. At first, Diana was worried about the bill, until Adam told her not to. “I took a part-time job while studying, mom. This is my treat to you. Thank you for taking care of me all these years,” he said, squeezing her hand.
Diana was in tears. She was so grateful that Adam grew up to be such a kind gentleman. “I’m proud of you, son,” she said. “I got you something, too. It’s nothing great, but I hope you like it.”
She took out the gift box and handed it to Adam. “You really didn’t have to get me anything, mom,” he said as he opened it.
When he saw that it was a watch, he was surprised. “This is beautiful, mom. Thank you,” he said with a big smile on his face. “I’m going to wear this to work every day. That way, I’ll always have you with me.”
That night, the mother and son spent the night talking to one another, taking photos, and simply enjoying New York’s sights.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
After a couple more days in New York, Diana had to fly back to California. “Will you be visiting home soon, Adam?” she asked, suddenly remembering that she was back to living alone.
“I’ll try, mom. I do have some job interviews lined up, so I’m not sure when I’ll get to. I promise to call, though,” he assured her. With that, Diana nodded contently.
Unfortunately, that promise was short-lived. Adam used to call his mom every other day, but that slowly diminished until the calls just stopped coming.
During one of their final calls, Diana showed signs of depression caused by her loneliness. “I’ve lost a lot of weight, and I don’t really have an appetite,” she would share.
“You should eat, mom. Go out and talk to your neighbors and take walks in the park,” Adam said, shrugging off the signs she’d share.
For years, Adam would check on his mother once in a while but he was busy working in Wall Street and maintaining his relationship with his model girlfriend that these calls became too few.
One day, he decided to put up his own firm in New York. For that, he needed documents from California which he couldn’t ask his mom to simply mail. So at the last minute, he took a flight back home and traveled to their house without telling his mom. But when he got there, he was not expecting what he saw.
Their house was torn down and filled with cobwebs. The fences were on the floor, and the grass lawn looked as if it hadn’t been trimmed in years. He looked inside and saw the house empty save for some ruined furniture.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Adam proceeded to call his mother, but she was not answering, so he walked to the next-door neighbor’s house to ask him what happened.
“Hi, Mr. Green,” he said as soon as their long-time neighbor answered the door.
“Adam? Is that you?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s me, Mr. Green. Where’s mom? What happened to our house?” he said, feeling both guilty and scared.
“Oh, well, remember that storm that hit California a couple of months ago? Our homes were severely damaged. Your mom didn’t have enough money to repair it, and she said she didn’t want to burden you, so she moved to a nursing home,” Mr. Green explained.
“What? Why don’t I know any of this?” Adam said, shocked. “Where is her nursing home?” he asked.
After getting the address, he quickly made his way there. When he arrived, he saw Diana, frail and in a wheelchair. “Mom,” he said, in tears, as soon as he saw her.
“Adam? What are you doing here?” Diana asked.
“Mom, I’m so sorry for not paying more attention to you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me the most,” he said, on his knees in front of his mom’s wheelchair. He was sobbing, feeling guilty for having neglected his mother for years.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“Adam, don’t be ridiculous. Get up from there,” she said, trying to raise her son. He shook his head and clung to her knees, and Diana couldn’t help but cry. She thought she would never see Adam again, and seeing him there, in the flesh, asking for forgiveness, made her feel both touched and relieved.
“I’m so sorry, mom. You don’t have to be alone ever again,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m going to live with you, and I’m going to take care of you,” he promised.
This time, Adam really kept his promise. He completely repaired their old home and took his mother out of the nursing home once it was completed. He also decided to start his business in California instead of New York and asked his girlfriend to move in with them.
Since then, the three of them lived together happily. The couple took care of Diana and made sure she was happy again. Meanwhile, Diana helped out at home while both Adam and his girlfriend worked, by cooking them meals and helping out with house chores.
What can we learn from this story?
- We should always make time for our loved ones. No matter how busy life gets, we should always take time to check on our loved ones no matter how far away they may be.
- A mother’s love is forever. Although she felt sad and abandoned, Diana never lost her love for Adam. Instead, she remained hopeful that one day they would reunite and see each other again.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
If you liked this story, you might like this one about a woman who had to flee her home after it burned down, only to see a brand new structure built on her lot a couple of months after.
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