On October 17, the members of One Direction shared their deep sorrow on Instagram following the tragic death of Liam Payne at the age of 31. The band, made up of Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson, expressed that they are “completely devastated” by the loss.

In their joint statement, they wrote, “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.” They went on to say, “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”

The surviving members of the band extended their thoughts to Liam’s family, friends, and fans, stating, “We will miss him terribly. We love you, Liam.”

One Direction, formed by Simon Cowell and Nicole Scherzinger during season 7 of The X Factor UK, became one of the biggest boy bands in the world, despite not winning their season. They dominated pop culture in the early 2010s.

Tragically, on October 16, Payne was pronounced dead after falling from his hotel balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Alberto Crescenti, the head of Buenos Aires’ emergency medical services, reported that Liam fell into the hotel’s internal courtyard. A preliminary autopsy indicated he died from multiple injuries and hemorrhages.

The loss of Liam Payne is felt deeply by his bandmates and fans around the world, and his memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved him.