At the end of August 2017 One Direction star Liam Payne celebrated his 24th birthday in Mallorca and whilst he probably thought nothing could top a family holiday with then girlfriend Cheryl and baby boy Bear, Cheryl delivered a very thoughtful gift to him. As the couple enjoyed their first trip away with Bear in Mallorca, former Girls Aloud star Cheryl flew Liam's best friends over and then his parents on his actual birthday - August 19.
Speaking to Mail Online about his birthday on his return to the UK, Liam said, "It was amazing, there were multiple surprises throughout the day. We got away for a little holiday and she had flown all my school friends out that I literally haven't seen for a year, so it was amazing to spend time with them."
Liam then added, "On my actual birthday, she flew my parents out and they spent a bit of time with me. It was really nice for my mum and dad, we were out in Mallorca it was lovely."
However, sadly today fans are mourning his tragic death after he was found dead after he fell from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, triggering an outpouring of tributes from fans. As news emerged of the 31-year-old English singer's death, fans of one of the world's biggest-selling boy bands gathered outside the hotel in the Argentinian capital's leafy Palermo neighbourhood to sing his songs and celebrate his life.
Police said in a statement they had been called to the CasaSur hotel after being notified of an "aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol". When they arrived, the hotel manager reported he had heard a loud noise from the inner courtyard and the police found that a man had fallen from the balcony of his room, the statement said.
In audio obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry, a worker can be heard asking for police help. "When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone," the worker said, adding that the guest's life was at risk because the room had a balcony.
One Direction found global success after Simon Cowell brought together Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson on Britain's X Factor talent show in 2010. They went on to sell 70 million records, with six top 10 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, including "What Makes You Beautiful", "Story of My Life" and "Live While We're Young". Payne's co-writing credits included "Story of My Life" and "Night Changes".
The band announced an "indefinite hiatus" in 2016, leaving its members to pursue solo careers. Payne's last single was "Teardrop", released in March this year. While details surrounding his death remained unclear, Payne had spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and using alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame. "Doing a show to however many thousands of people, then being stuck by yourself in a country where you can't go out anywhere – what else are you going to do? The minibar is always there," he told the Guardian newspaper in 2019.