The sudden death of former One Direction star Liam Payne at the tender age of 31 has left the world in shock. The singer tragically fell from the third floor of his hotel, CasaSur Palermo, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16 and was declared dead.
Tributes have poured in for Liam, including from his ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy, mother of his son Bear, who described his death as a “devastating event”.
Cheryl broke her silence last night, saying: “Liam was not just a pop star and a celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7-year-old son. A son who now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
Along with her tribute, Cheryl shared a never-before-seen photo of Liam with their son. Bear was born at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London on March 22, 2017.
At the time of his birth, Liam shared his joy on Instagram: “My closest friends and family know there are very few times I am at a loss for words… wow!” as he revelled in his new role as a father. Despite splitting up shortly after Bear’s first birthday, Liam and Cheryl continued to co-parent, the Mirror reports.
Although Liam wasn’t always physically present, he made sure his son was well looked after. In 2019, Liam Payne stepped up to support Cheryl by helping her buy a house in the picturesque Buckinghamshire village of Chalfont St Peter. This is where the former Girls Aloud singer raised her son Bear, with her mother Joan by her side.
Shortly after, Liam secured a property nearby to be close to his family. Despite the fame that their status brings them, Liam and Cheryl are determined to shield Bear from the public eye and only share brief glimpses of him on social media.
In 2020, fans were treated to a rare glimpse of Bear’s voice when Cheryl posted a video revealing his thick Geordie accent, a result of time spent with his Newcastle-born mum and grandmother. In the adorable video, three-year-old Bear can be heard asking to visit the local park – his accent mirroring Cheryl’s own northern accent.
As Bear grew up, it seems that he inherited his parents’ artistic talents. Cheryl couldn’t help but boast about her talent for singing and acting.
Earlier this year, Cheryl shared a rare photo of Bear during a soundcheck for the Girls Aloud tour in May. The snap captured a tender moment of Cheryl holding Bear’s hand on stage at the Sheffield Arena, hinting at the youngster’s comfort in being the centre of attention.
In March, Liam posted a photo of Bear looking at a billboard featuring his father, with the caption: “I wanna be on a billboard one day daddy.”
Fans were shocked to see how much Bear had grown, with his thick brown hair resembling his mother’s. Last year, Cheryl revealed that Bear was starting to realise that his parents were famous, despite their efforts to keep him out of the spotlight and give him a normal childhood.
She expressed concern about people recognising him in public, saying: “The problem is I want Bear to have a normal childhood. I don’t want people to recognise him on the street. But he noticed I’m famous. The other day he said, ‘How lucky am I to have famous parents? ’ I said, ‘It doesn’t matter. ’ He said, ‘Yeah. But it’s pretty cool. ’”
In a video shared on his 31st birthday in August, Liam mentioned that he was excited to spend time with Bear, who he called his “mini me.” Liam said, “I haven’t gotten any socks from daddy yet. I’m going to talk to my son in a little bit, which I’m really excited about. God bless him. He’s getting so big already. He’s a big boy and he looks like a mini me. As if we needed more me in the world.”
Simon Cowell, who has a close bond with Liam since their X Factor days, also commented on how much Bear resembles his father.
Simon wrote an emotional message, saying: “I have met your son Bear. He has your smile and that sparkle in your eyes that you have,” adding: “He will be so proud of everything you have achieved. And how you have achieved it.” Following his father’s untimely death, the little boy is set to inherit a staggering £46million fortune. Former One Direction star Liam Payne had reportedly drawn up a plan years ago to secure his wealth for his son, Bear, in case something happened to him.
Despite the physical distance, as Liam was often in the US, he maintained a close relationship with Bear through regular FaceTime calls. A source revealed to The Daily Mail: “Liam had some very sensible people around him for a while and he adored Bear very much. He always wanted to do right by him financially. It’s a small consolation that Bear never lacks for anything, that he will at least benefit from that.”
Another acquaintance of Liam’s lamented: “It’s tragic that they never had a proper father-son bond. Liam was there, a lost soul, alone, thousands of miles from home; it’s awful. He was always calling Bear; they talked a lot to each other and Liam saw him as much as he could.”
The autopsy revealed that Liam suffered multiple traumas and “internal and external bleeding” after falling from his balcony in Buenos Aires.
The incident is currently being investigated by Argentina’s 16th National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office as an “inconclusive death.”
Liam’s father Geoff Payne was spotted in Buenos Aires following the tragic death of his son. Dressed in a navy suit, he was photographed leaving the Casa Sur Hotel.
According to the Associated Press, Payne flew to Argentina to arrange for his son’s body to be flown back home. In footage shared by the BBC, he is seen visiting a makeshift memorial set up by supporters outside the hotel, where he read letters and took a moment to reflect amid flowers, photos and candles.
This comes after the family expressed their devastation at Liam’s death, stating: “Liam will live forever in our hearts and will be remembered for his kind, funny and brave soul.”
