Louis Tomlinson Mourns His ‘Brother’ Liam Payne, Calls Him the ‘Most Vital Part of One Direction’

Louis Tomlinson is paying tribute to his longtime friend and former bandmate, Liam Payne, following the news of his death on Wednesday (Oct. 16).

In a heartbreaking post shared to Instagram on Thursday (Oct. 17), Tomlinson said that he is “devastated” to have “lost a brother,” alongside a photo of the two One Direction members smiling onstage, with Payne’s arm wrapped around Tomlinson’s shoulder.

“Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul,” the “Bigger Than Me” singer continued in his post. “I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.”

He added that Payne was the “most vital part of One Direction,” due to “his experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing.”

Tomlinson then shared a message directly to Payne, hoping he’s “listening,” writing, “I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours , reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.”

He continued that he will be looking out for Payne’s seven-year-old son, Bear, adding, “I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.”

“Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well,” his statement concluded. See it here.

Tomlinson’s statement comes in addition to a joint message by the surviving members of One Direction, in which they noted that they are “completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing.” The group statement continued, “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 memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”

Payne died around 5:07 p.m. local time after sustaining multiple traumas and hemorrhages from his fall, a recent preliminary autopsy confirmed. Local authorities believe he was not sober at the time and found substances that appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic drinks in his room after they arrived at the scene. In the moments leading up to the star’s death, a hotel manager called 911 to report that a guest was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room”; by the time police got there, Payne had already fallen from the balcony of his room and died due to his injuries.