Niall Horan pens heartbreaking tribute to late bandmate Liam Payne

Earlier this month, Payne attended bandmate Niall’s Argentinian concert alongside his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, with Niall being the last member of the band to see him alive.

"I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn’t feel real," Niall’s emotional statement began.

"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," he added.

"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."

Niall went on to discuss his brief encounter with Liam, just days prior to his death.

"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.

"My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear."

"Thank you for everything, Payno. Love you brother. Nialler."

One Direction photographed in Ireland in 2011.

Liam rose to fame at the age of  16 after forming the boy band One Direction on The X Factor alongside Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles.

A statement from local police confirmed Payne’s death on Wednesday, saying: "Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo."

His former bandmates issued a joint statement on Thursday evening, almost 24 hours after the news broke, stating they were "completely devastated."

They 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.

"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.

"We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry."

Bandmate Louis said he was "beyond devastated’ in a separate statement on social media where he said he ‘lost a brother."

"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. Liam was an incredible songwriter 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."

 The 31-year-old added that he was of the opinion that "Liam was 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 up Liam.

"A message to you Liam if you’re listening… 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."

Louis added that he "would have loved to share the stage" with Liam again "but it wasn’t to be".

"I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you,’ he concluded, ‘Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X".

Zayn Malik also paid tribute, revealing he had been finding himself "talking out loud, hoping you can hear me.

"I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives," he said.

"I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life".

Zayn recalled how his late bandmate would ‘always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile’ in the early days when he was missing home.

"Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated and gave no f***s about telling people when they were wrong.

"Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it."

Zayn said: ‘I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are.’

Harry Styles was the third to break his silence following the devastating death of his former bandmate, stating he was "truly devastated".

"His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honor to be alongside him as he did it," Harry said.

"Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infection. He was warm, supporting, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend."

Harry extended his thoughts to Liam’s family as well as "all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did".

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.