Kaylah Walton
Music executive Simon Cowell found support from Liam Payne’s family during the singer’s memorial service.
Payne tragically passed away at age 31 on October 16 after a fall from a balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The memorial was held in a church in England on Wednesday, with many celebrities in attendance, including Payne’s former bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
Cowell, the creator of One Direction, was also present and was seen being consoled by Payne’s parents, Geoff and Karen, while visibly upset outside the church.
Also in attendance was Payne’s ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy, along with various DJs and musicians. Cowell arrived with his partner Lauren Silverman.
Circumstances of Payne’s Death
The former One Direction member was in Argentina to attend a concert featuring his former bandmate Niall Horan. He had recently expressed his desire to catch up with Horan, indicating they had much to discuss.
Before his death, he shared videos of himself enjoying the concert with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. Later, he met with a friend in Argentina, while Cassidy had departed prior to his fatal incident.
Emergency services were called to the hotel due to a guest reported to be “overwhelmed by drugs and alcohol” and causing damage in their room.
During the emergency call, the hotel’s front desk manager expressed concern about the guest’s safety, mentioning he had a balcony.
This call was associated with Payne, and local news later revealed pictures of a room with a damaged TV, numerous liquor bottles, aluminum foil, and a partially filled champagne glass.
Payne fell from a 14-meter balcony and was declared dead at the scene with no chance of revival. Investigations cleared third-party involvement but indicated that Payne was likely unconscious or semi-conscious when he fell.
