Kate Cassidy has shared a tribute for her boyfriend Liam Payne after his death, aged 31.
On Wednesday, it was announced that the singer had died after falling off a balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
His girlfriend of around two years posted on Instagram, to say she was at a ‘complete loss’ following his death, adding that she loved him ‘unconditionally and completely’.
‘Thank you for all the kind words and love that has been sent my way,’ she began.
‘I have been at a complete loss. Nothing about the past few days have felt real.
‘I ask and pray that you’ll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private.
‘Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam.’
Finally, Cassidy, 25, added 444, which are often referred to as angel numbers.
Payne and Cassidy began dating in 2022, after he drank at a bar in Charleston, South Carolina, called Ritual. At the time, Cassidy was working there as a waitress.
Payne previously wrote about Cassidy on Instagram: ‘Gotta say you could tell me anything and I couldn’t be turned. I’ve never felt a love like I do for Katelyn. We make each other better people.’
The influencer was with Payne in Argentina earlier this month, and the pair attended former One Direction member Niall Horan’s gig together.
In a TikTok video, Cassidy explained that they were supposed to stay for five days, but ended up remaining in the country for two weeks.
Cassidy said that she was returning to her Florida home, as she ‘hates staying in one place for too long’.
‘I was just like “I need to go home”,’ she added in the clip.
Around an hour before Payne died, several photos and videos were shared on Payne’s Snapchat account, including him enjoying breakfast in Argentina, where he talked about playing Polo.
Payne also shared an image of himself posing with Cassidy as she snapped the selfie in the mirror – the two appeared to be heading for a beach day with Payne in swim shorts and Cassidy in a bikini.
However, it’s thought to be an old photo previously shared on social media in August 2023 and it’s not known if the Snapchat posts were scheduled ahead of time.
Videos of Cassidy and Payne have also begun resurfacing on TikTok. Emerging on fans’ For You pages, a personalised homepage displaying videos based on their interests and preferences, are multiple videos of the pair dancing together.
From a pre-wedding boogie to a fun skit before the couple attended Horan’s concert in Buenos Aires earlier this month, Cassidy and Payne appeared to be having plenty of good times together, and it’s struck a chord for fans.
Elsewhere, plenty of other friends and those with connections to Payne have spoken of him fondly after his tragic death.
This includes Eleanor Calder, ex-girlfriend of his 1D bandmate Louis Tomlinson.
Fashion influencer Calder, 32, wrote on her Instagram Story on Friday, alongside a photo of a sunset: ‘I wasn’t sure whether to post anything on here as I usually navigate loss and grief privately, but it feels strange not to. [Liam’s] passing has hit me really hard.’
She continued: ‘Over the past couple of years, Liam has been a huge support for me and I’d like to think I was for him too. He would regularly check in to ask how I was feeling and if I was okay.
‘When I first moved into my flat, he drew paintings of my dogs and I to put on the walls — he said he hoped it would help with making it feel like home.’
Calder described the touching artwork he made her as ‘one of the many examples of his kindness and creativity.’
She concluded: ‘I can only hope that he is at peace now and will forever wish that his story ended differently. … My heart goes out to those that knew and loved him for the person he was.’
Calder grew close to Payne when she began dating Tomlinson in September 2011, when One Direction was just hitting the big time.
They were together until March 2015, reuniting in January 2017 before splitting again in 2022, as announced in January 2023.
Ex-girlfriend Danielle Peazer also shared a tribute, having met Payne when she worked as a backing dancer on The X Factor.
The fitness influencer and new mum, 36, dated Payne for around three years amid his ride to stardom, and was last pictured with him in June 2022.
She wrote on her Instagram Story: ‘Over the last few days I’ve been trying to process the news of Liam’s death. Thank you to anyone who has taken the time to call, text, or DM sending condolences and offering support. I’m so grateful and it’s helped more than you know.
‘In time I will share more, but right now I don’t feel mentally strong enough to face the reality of what’s happened.
‘Like all of us, I too am grieving, and need to take some time to do that privately. It’s a heartbreaking time, which has already been made so much more challenging due to receiving negative and misinformed comments as well as pre-conceived judgement from those who don’t personally know me, Liam, or anything about our relationship over the last 14 years.’
She concluded by saying she will ‘be back soon when [she’s] ready’, signing off: ‘Until then, please take care of yourselves and each other.’
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She later took social media again with a longer social media post as she shared some images of herself with the late singer.
In the post she shared on Sunday she detailed: ‘Our relationship may have ended back in 2013, but that seemed to be just the start of our story.
‘The things we went through and experienced from then all the way until last year could be described as unique to some and misunderstood to others, but I think deep down we always knew we’d have some sort of connection forever.’
She reflected on how their relationship impacted her and concluded at the end of the lengthy post: ‘I’m sorry your story didn’t end differently and I’m sorry you didn’t ever get to share more of your magic with the world. Rest easy my friend.’
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