Liam Payne’s father has been honoring his late son outside the hotel where the tragic incident occurred.
The 31-year-old singer fell from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday, October 16.
Payne suffered multiple injuries and both internal and external hemorrhaging after his body was discovered in the hotel’s internal courtyard.
According to the Associated Press, his father, Geoff Payne, has traveled to Argentina to arrange for his son’s repatriation.
He was seen coming in and out of the Casa Sur Hotel, joining fans in paying tribute.
“Geoff occasionally paused to put on his glasses to read the messages written in English and picked up photos to kiss them,” reported Sky correspondent Martha Kelner. “He also expressed his gratitude to fans for their presence.”
On social media, footage captured Geoff exiting his taxi and entering the hotel, with fans blocking paparazzi from taking pictures.
One fan shared on X, “Liam’s supporters are standing up against the paparazzi to protect his privacy during this difficult time, using their hands and backpacks to shield against the cameras.”
“My heart goes out to Liam Payne’s family during this tragic time; it’s admirable to see his fans standing up against the paparazzi to safeguard his privacy and show their support,” another user remarked.
“This is a heartbreaking situation. It’s wonderful to see fans coming together to protect his family’s privacy during such a difficult moment,” a third tweet read.
Liam Payne's father, Geoff Payne, arrived at the hotel where his son lost his life. Liam's fans are fighting with the paparazzi to protect his privacy at this time, putting up their hands and backpacks so they can't take pictures. pic.twitter.com/1doIO47lYk
— 🦂 (@notdatgirll) October 18, 2024
Kelner also reported that Geoff “was not permitted to enter the exact room, which remains an active investigation scene, but he was shown a room with a similar layout.”
“He previously visited the morgue to identify his son and went to the prosecutor’s office to arrange for his repatriation to the UK,” she continued.
Liam Payne rose to fame on The X Factor, where he was part of the group that formed One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson.
Simon Cowell shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram last night, expressing that he felt “truly devastated.”
“This is so difficult to put into words right now. I went outside today and reflected on all the times we had together. I wanted to share what I would always tell the thousands of people who asked me, ‘What is Liam like?'” he wrote.
“I would say you were kind, funny, sweet, thoughtful, talented, humble, and focused. You had a deep love for music and a genuine affection for your fans.
“I had to tell you when you were 14 that it wasn’t your time. We made a promise that we would meet again. Many people would have given up, but you didn’t. You came back, and within months, the whole world knew who Liam was.”
