Liam Payne’s family have shared an official statement following his death: “He will live on in our hearts forever”

This October 16, the death of Liam Payne, one of the members of the now-defunct boy band One Direction, was announced. According to reports, the musician fell from the balcony of a hotel room in Argentina due to excessive alcohol and drugs in his system.

Several calls that the staff of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel made before Liam’s death were also revealed to the media, where they requested emergency services for help because he was behaving erratically, breaking some hotel items and shouting abuse.

These data, combined with Liam’s long history of depression, led both the media and fans on social media to start speculating that the artist had committed suicide.

Amid the confusion, the Payne family broke their silence by sharing an official statement, expressing their grief at the loss of a son, brother and father.

“We are devastated. Liam will live on in our hearts forever and we will remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.” The joint statement, shared by British media The Sun, read: “We are supporting each other as a family as we can and request privacy and space during this terrible time.”

At midnight on Wednesday, Liam’s parents were seen leaving their home in Wolverhampton, England, to rush to attend their son’s fateful death. One of Liam’s relatives is said to have responded to the media pressure, saying: “We are obviously devastated by this news but do not wish to comment.”

So far, neither Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy nor his former One Direction bandmates have made any statements about his death. The musician reportedly traveled to Argentina with Kate on September 30 last year with the intention of meeting former 1D bandmate Niall Horan for his Buenos Aires presentation, but Kate returned to Florida on October 14, two days before Liam passed away.

Several celebrities have shared their condolences following Liam’s passing. Paris Hilton, Charlie Puth and Bella Thorne were among those who used their networks to pay tribute to the musician, and while One Direction have yet to speak out (perhaps hoping for a joint statement), their loved ones have.

Harry Styles’ mother shared a picture of a broken heart with the words “he was just a boy”. Niall Horan’s brother Greg Horan has spoken out to Liam and sent a message of support to his family at this difficult time.

“You were just one of 4 boys that I was lucky enough to have a place in Niall’s life as a brother,” he wrote. “My heart goes out to your family, your parents, your sister and son Bear and your 1D brothers.”

Zayn Malik’s sister Waliyha also weighed in online. “Heartbreaking. Rest in peace. I have no words,” he said simply.