When news of Liam Payne's death broke, fans flocked to the late pop star's Instagram to pay their respects on his final post, and were heartbroken when they realized what it was.
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00:00Liam Payne, former member of boy band One Direction, has died at age 31, just hours
00:05after posting on Snapchat.
00:08Today, we ride.
00:11When the news broke, fans flocked to the late pop star's Instagram to pay their respects
00:15on his final post, and were heartbroken when they realized what it was — a photo of him
00:20and his former bandmates with the late filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, posted back in May.
00:25The singer hadn't posted a snap of the band in a long time, so this being his last post
00:29seemed fitting and devastating.
00:32Payne shared it as a tribute to Spurlock, who directed the band's 2013 documentary One
00:36Direction This Is Us, and passed away earlier this year from cancer at age 53.
00:41It's one of those opportunities you can't say no to.
00:43Payne died on October 16, 2024, after falling three stories from his hotel room's balcony
00:49in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he was on vacation.
00:52We're enjoying ourselves here.
00:54A police spokesperson confirmed that they received calls to respond to,
00:58"...an aggressive man who may have been under the effects of drugs and alcohol."
01:02The director of Buenos Aires Emergency Medical Services told ABC News that the singer was
01:07pronounced dead at the scene, and had suffered, quote, "...injuries incompatible with life."
01:12Payne's tragic death comes after a tumultuous few years for the singer, who was open about
01:16his struggles with sobriety.
01:17It's the first time I've ever put a drink down and gone, someone asked, yeah, you finish
01:20that, I don't need it, and I haven't picked one up since.
01:22The Live Forever hitmaker received sharp criticism following his 2022 appearance on Logan Paul's
01:27Impulsive podcast, during which he, at times, spoke unkindly about his former bandmates.
01:33He also revealed details about the dynamics of their relationships during One Direction's
01:37heyday that might have been better left unsaid.
01:40There's many reasons why I dislike Zayn, and there's many reasons why I'll always, always
01:45be on his side.
01:46Payne also detailed a squabble that took place backstage before a show, admitting that it
01:50almost turned ugly.
01:52Many wondered whether the bandmate in question was also Zayn Malik.
01:56One member in particular threw me up a wall.
01:59So I said to him, if you don't remove those hands, there's a high likelihood you'll never
02:02use them again.
02:03After the interview sparked significant backlash from fans, Payne took to X to clarify that
02:07he hadn't meant to insult anyone, posting,
02:10"'Listening back, maybe I didn't articulate myself as well as I could have.'"
02:14Payne added in a follow-up tweet that he will always support Malik, and called him family.
02:19Payne's last Instagram post serves as a sad reminder that even if a One Direction reunion
02:25ever takes place, the band will forever be one member short.
02:29If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available.
02:33Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact
02:37SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP, 4357.