Liam Payne’s girlfriend has described his death as a “tragic accident,” emphasizing that he was in “such a good headspace” when she departed from Argentina. Kate Cassidy was in Buenos Aires with Payne but returned to the United States just days before the One Direction star tragically fell from a hotel balcony. In an interview, she expressed, “Love is so optimistic, and you just hope that everything will work out in the end. Obviously, if I had known, if I could see into the future, I would never have left Argentina.”
Cassidy, an American influencer, explained that she needed to return home to care for their dog, Nala. “I had a responsibility; we had a responsibility. We had our dog, and I never thought this event would occur,” she stated. She further reflected, “It was a tragic accident, and no, I never thought [he might die young]. But we did have our own separate lives—this wasn’t the first time we traveled separately. I just never imagined this would happen, that it would turn out this way.”
Payne, who was 31, passed away on October 16 from multiple injuries after falling from the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires. Three individuals have been charged with manslaughter in connection with his death, while two others face charges for supplying cocaine.
Cassidy, 25, shared that she thinks about Payne “every second of every day,” revealing that she had a “childhood crush” on him since she was 10 years old. The couple began dating in 2022, and she remarked that it still feels “not fully real” that he is gone. “From the moment I met Liam, I genuinely believed we were soulmates,” she said. “He was the most humble, charming, normal person you could ever hope to meet, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve ever known.”
She noted that Payne was “in such a good headspace” when she left Argentina, stating, “We were in such a great place, just full of love; he was so happy and positive. I just can’t believe how things ended.”
Cassidy expressed relief that she did not learn of his death through social media, as one of Payne’s friends called her to deliver the heartbreaking news. “That moment is like a blank; it’s blacked out in my head,” she recalled. “I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was just a rumor or something someone made up to get views.”
Payne’s funeral took place in November in Buckinghamshire, attended by his former bandmates and ex-partner Cheryl among the mourners.
