Niall Horan on Final Goodbye to Liam Payne: ‘Heartbreaking’

Niall Horan is reflecting on his final goodbye with One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.

Payne, 31, fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Argentina on Wednesday.

Liam was in Buenos Aires after catching Niall’s show there on October 2.

Horan shared a tribute to Payne on Instagram alongside a silly photo of the pair. He wrote, “I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn’t feel real.”

He added, “Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel happy and secure.”

Reflecting on the good times, Horan posted, “All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. We got to live out our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.”

He said of the last time he saw Liam, “I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking.”

Speaking of Liam’s mother, father, and sisters, Niall wrote, “My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear.”

He closed with, “Thank you for everything, Payno. Love your brother, Nialler.”

One Direction previously released a joint statement that read, in part, “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”

The group continued, “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.”