Kaylah Walton
The unexpected passing of Liam Payne, known for his time with One Direction, has shocked both fans and acquaintances.
A close companion of his, Jodie Richards, revealed the emotional last messages they exchanged just hours prior to his unfortunate fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
A Heartfelt Farewell from Liam
Richards, who instructed Payne in performing arts at Pink Productions in Wolverhampton, expressed her disbelief upon hearing the initial news of his death.
“I thought it was a hoax,” she stated.
Payne, at the age of 31, suffered a severe head injury after falling from the third floor of the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel around 5 p.m. (ART) on Tuesday.
In the hours before his death, Payne reached out to Richards, wanting to reconnect and check on their mutual friends in his hometown.
The two had a strong friendship, often staying in touch daily as his popularity grew.
The last exchange they had occurred just a day before the tragedy, where Payne sent a regular message while Richards was at the gym with her son.
After he sent her a photo, she replied, “Sorry just home.”
The situation escalated into heartbreak when Richards received news of Payne’s passing.
In a state of panic, she messaged him, “Liam!!! Please tell me this isn’t true!!!!!!”
Her later messages expressed her grief: “Please Liam. Goodnight Mr. P. I have no words and don’t want to say goodbye. When I wake up, I hope it’s just a dream.”
Recalling the moment she learned of the news, Richards said, “I was flooded with messages from friends, asking if it was true.”
“So, I had to look it up. I couldn’t wrap my head around it; I thought it was false news.”
After trying to contact him through calls and texts, she grasped the gravity of the situation as the news was confirmed.
Tributes from One Direction Members
Following Payne’s tragic passing, his former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik released a heartfelt statement expressing their sorrow.
“We are utterly heartbroken by the news of Liam’s passing,” they conveyed.
“We will need time to mourn and process the loss of our dear brother. The memories we’ve created together will be cherished forever. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans who loved him just as we did.”
Messages of condolence and support for Liam’s family and friends continue to resonate globally.
