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In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a group of devoted Liam Payne fans gathered to hold a heartfelt tribute on the first anniversary of the musician’s untimely passing. This event was a testament to Payne’s enduring impact on his followers worldwide.
“We have organized this tribute. We are fans. We love Liam and miss him,” explained Valeria Rios in an exclusive conversation with Us Weekly on Thursday, October 16. Rios, who traveled to Argentina with her husband and daughters, emphasized the personal dedication involved in maintaining the memorial. “We want to have him always in our hearts. We have created this place, we clean it, we keep it [and] we cover it when it rains — all the time,” she added, illustrating the profound connection many feel with Payne.
The tragic news of Payne’s death surfaced in October 2024, when it was reported that he had fallen from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. At 31, Payne left behind a loving family, including his parents, siblings, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, and his young son, Bear, whom he shared with ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole.
Outside the hotel where this sorrowful incident occurred, fans such as Rios and Yaquelin Pérez, 46, have created a poignant memorial. They placed flowers, signs, and candles, each item a symbol of their collective grief and admiration for the beloved musician.
In the wake of Payne’s passing, his family has expressed their deep sorrow. “We are utterly devastated by the news,” a family member shared with MailOnline from their home in Wolverhampton, England. The BBC later released a statement on behalf of the family, conveying their grief: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him…” These words resonate with countless fans who continue to cherish the memory of Liam Payne.
“We used to do [a] tribute every month. Now, maybe it will be every year, [but] it will continue in the sanctuary, which is a place that we have with him,” Pérez, 25, told Us. “It is the last place where he was. So, for us, it means a lot.”
For Pérez, it was especially important to celebrate Payne’s legacy after his death.
“I grew up with [One Direction] since I was 12, [and] today I’m 25. It was part of my adolescence, a very important part of my life,” Pérez recalled to Us. “It’s very hard, but we’re going to keep … remembering [him] and keep coming [to] this place we have with him.”
Milagros Rojas, another fan, also traveled to the memorial site to pay her respects and place flowers on the makeshift memorial.
“Coming today was very difficult,” Rojas, 28, emotionally told Us. “I didn’t feel like doing anything, and I thought, ‘I’m going to come for him.’ I’m doing what I can.”
Another One Direction fan, a 16-year-old named Lara, traveled to the memorial site for the first time on Thursday, where she brought a letter and a drawing of the late singer.
“I couldn’t come here before. [The news] was horrible,” Lara told Us of learning about Payne’s death. “He was the person who would [walk] into a room and smile at everyone. He was very good [and] he was loved by everyone, especially his bandmates. The guys had a very strong [relationship] with him, his family [and] his friends.”
The fan memorial also gained the attention of Payne’s family. Liam’s father, Geoff Payne, visited the site when he traveled to Argentina to claim his son’s body last year. Liam’s sisters, Ruth Gibbins and Nicola Payne, later shared images of the fan project to their respective social media accounts.
“We have sent his family some letters [through] the city where he was born,” Pérez told Us. “We know that they have received them because a girl who was in England gave those letters to Liam’s family. Ruth [then] uploaded a story on Instagram thanking the fans.”
With reporting by Luciana Arias