Liam Payne’s older sister Nicola has shared a heartfelt tribute to her sibling, recalling the last moments they spent together in a recent social media post.
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The musician tragically died last year after a fatal fall from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Argentine prosecutor’s office later revealed that the 31-year-old’s cause of death was due to multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding.
Last Friday (August 29) would have marked the late One Direction star’s 32nd birthday, and his eldest sister shared a poignant tribute to him on Instagram to mark the occasion.
“A year ago today, we were so full of hope and excitement for what the years ahead would bring you,” Nicola wrote. “That night, celebrating your birthday with bowling and McDonald’s, we celebrated you, your show, your dreams, and spoke of all the plans you had for the future.
“We ended the evening with a hug, telling you how proud we were and how much we loved you.”
The post continued: “If I had known that would be the last time I’d see you, I would have said so much more. I wish I could step into a time machine and relive that night, hug you tighter, capture your smile and voice, ask more questions and write it all down so I’d never forget.
“I hope you’re happy, at peace and know just how deeply you are loved. I miss you every single day, and I don’t think there will ever be a day that I don’t.”
Nicola concluded her emotional message by saying she hoped her late brother had the “happiest heavenly birthday” and was celebrating “wherever” he was. “Hopefully you’ve scored a few strikes too.”
It comes after his other sister, Ruth Gibbins, spoke about the pride she felt after seeing the late star on his Netflix show Building The Band back in June.
Payne signed to take part in the first season of Building The Band, in which a group of singers bid to find their perfect bandmates based on musical compatibility, connection, and merit, rather than on appearance, months before his death.
Netflix shared in a press release that his family “reviewed the series” and supported it going ahead as planned – and it was then reported in January that it would still be going ahead. Payne appeared as a judge alongside Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger, the latter also being a mentor on the series, and AJ McClean of Backstreet Boys hosting.
While promoting the show, McClean shared that he had heard Liam Payne‘s unreleased music prior to his death, saying: “I thought it was a great body of work. And I hope that the world and that the fans get to hear it somewhere down the road. It’s beautiful, beautiful music.”
