LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Liam Payne and Katie Cassidy attend The Fashion Awards 2022 pre-ceremony drinks at the Royal Albert Hall on December 05, 2022 in London, England.
Originally appeared on E! Online
Liam Payne's girlfriend is grieving her insurmountable loss.
Kate Cassidy, who had dated the One Direction singer since 2022, shared a tribute to the musician following his Oct. 16 death at age 31.
"Thank you for all the kind words and love that has been sent my way," she wrote in an Oct. 18 Instagram Stories post. "I have been at a complete loss. Nothing about the past few days have felt real. I ask and pray that you give me the grace and space to navigate this in private."
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Cassidy went on to call the singer her "angel."
"You are everything," she noted. "I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam."
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Cassidy had been vacationing with Payne in Argentina for two weeks before his passing, though their trip was originally only scheduled for about five days. She ultimately flew out of the country on Oct. 12, sharing on TikTok that she felt a "need" to go home to Florida while he remained in South America.
"I was so ready to leave," she said in an Oct. 14 TikTok video. "Honestly, love South America but I hate staying in one place for too long."
The 25-year-old added in the caption, "soooo happpiii to b back in sunshine state."
During their travels, the pair had attended concerts, enjoyed bowling dates and tried local cuisine — including Argentine Chinese food and Wagyu steak, as well as indulged in their favorite treats like McDonald's, Oreos and Skittles, as Kate shared in her TikTok vlogs.
"I'm very grateful for the simple things in life," she wrote in one post, while Payne had added on Snapchat prior to his death that he was savoring a "lovely day in Argentina."
The internet influencer had shown highlights from her and Payne’s relationship over the years, including a viral TikTok video where she showed off her love for One Direction — which was also made up of Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.
“I am the best manifester, and I'm going to show you why," Cassidy said, showing off a popsicle stick craft of Liam she had made as a kid. “It's a popsicle stick — I don't know why — of Liam.”
Then, she cut to herself going into a room with Payne sitting on the bed.
“And somehow, 10 years later,” she added as Payne smirked at the camera. “Careful what you wish for!”
Cassidy had also showed off sweet moments of Payne throughout their relationship — including the couple participating in viral TikTok trends and vlogs. In one, the influencer showed off one of their favorite activities and jokingly complained, “He drags me to bowling at least four times a week.”
Prior to his relationship with Cassidy, the late One Direction member also dated Cheryl Cole — with whom he shares 7-year-old son Bear — Maya Henry and Sophia Smith.
Before he joined One Direction, Payne previously auditioned for "The X Factor" in 2008, making it to the judges houses round as a solo artist. He was then placed with One Direction during the 2010 season, finishing third.
Following One Direction taking an indefinite hiatus in 2016, the 31-year-old went on to release the "EP First Time" and the album "LP1," which included his biggest hit “Strip that Down” featuring Quavo.
In 2022, Payne sparked debate when he said he had the most successful solo career of the group with his initial single release, adding on Logan Paul's podcast that band had been formed around him in the first place—due to his prior stint on "The X Factor."
After receiving backlash for his comments, he later apologized in a vulnerable YouTube video.
“A lot of what I said came from the wrong place,” Payne explained. “I was so angry at what was going on around me, and instead of taking a look inwards, I decided to look outwards at everybody else — and just took it out on everybody else, which is wrong.”
He added that his fellow One Direction members supported him through the “life-changing” experience, which led to him seeking rehab in 2023. “The rest of the boys really stood by me,” he added, “and came to the rescue.”
