Louis Tomlinson shares an emotional tribute to ‘brother’ Liam Payne as he vows to ‘always be an uncle to his son Bear’ and reveals they became ‘closer’ after 1D split

Louis Tomlinson has shared a heartbreaking tribute to bandmate Liam Payne following his death at the age of 31.

The One Direction star fell from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, dying instantly from multiple injuries.

In a statement shared on Instagram, Louis said he was “extremely devastated” by his friend’s death, and that he will “always be an uncle in his life” to the late singer’s eight-year-old son, Bear.

‘I’m devastated as I write this, but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was someone I looked up to every day, such a positive, funny and kind soul.

‘I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18. I was immediately amazed by his voice, but more importantly, as time went on I got the chance to see the kind brother I’d looked up to all my life desired.

‘Liam was an incredible songwriter with a great sense of melody. We often talked about going back into the studio together to try to recreate the writing chemistry we had built in the band.

“And just to be clear, Liam was, in my opinion, the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.

“A message for you, Liam, if you’re listening: I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life, but I’m really struggling with the idea of ​​saying goodbye.

“I am so grateful that we have become even closer since bonding, talking for hours on the phone and reminiscing about the thousands of wonderful memories we had together is a luxury I thought I would have with you for life.

‘I would have liked to share the stage with you again, but that was not to be.

“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me, I will be the uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories about how great his dad was.

“I wish I had the chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you buddy. Sleep well X

It came after the band broke their silence to share a joint statement following Liam’s passing, saying they were ‘completely devastated’ by his death.

“In due time, and when everyone is able, there will be more to say,” they said.

“But for now, we will take time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, whom we loved dearly.

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

‘We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.’

Argentina’s prosecutor’s office revealed earlier today that Payne, 31, may have been “semi-conscious or completely unconscious” when he fell from a hotel balcony.

The star collapsed from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel courtyard in the Argentine capital yesterday, before medics confirmed his death.

Detectives confirmed that a range of substances had been seized from the hotel room ‘indicating a previous situation of alcohol and drug use’.