Following a group statement from the surviving members of One Direction and individual tributes from Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Harry Styles, Niall Horan has shared his own condolences about the death of Liam Payne. "I'm absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn't feel real," Horan wrote in a post shared to social media. "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."
Accompanied by a picture of the pair of bandmates circa 2011 (of a young Horan giving Payne a piggyback ride), Horan reflected, "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."
Earlier this month Payne made headlines attending Horan's concert in Argentina; the two posed for photos together after the fact. Horan referenced the meeting in his message, saying, "I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn't know that after saying goodbye and hugging him, I would be saying goodbye forever. It's heartbreaking." He expressed his condolences to Payne's family before writing, "Thank you for everything, Payno. Love you brother. Nialler."
Beyond One Direction, the news of Payne's tragic passing has been met with an outpouring of love from across the world. Rita Ora paid tribute to Payne at her show by sharing a photo of them recording the Fifty Shades Of Grey theme "For You." Ed Sheeran, a friend and collaborator of 1D, posted on social media that he was "at a loss for words." Jade Thrilwall from Little Mix, James Corden, and Robbie Williams (who mentored the group during their time on X Factor) have all paid their respects; tributes will no doubt keep rolling in as the world continues to process the loss.
