Hundreds of grieving fans came together in Cathedral Gardens in Manchester on Sunday 20th October to lay flowers and candles in memory of the Liam Payne, formerly of One Direction, who died tragically after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on October 16th. Across the globe, emotional fans of One Direction (known as “Directioners”) gathered together to mourn the loss of one of its members.
The organiser of the Manchester memorial, Amelia Ainscough, led the way in leaving balloons and handwritten messages for the singer, and thanked everyone for coming. Other organisers also took turns giving speeches. One girl broke down in tears during her speech, saying: “it’s really nice that we can do something like this, everyone together, everyone understands how sad it is together, and we can make it somewhat of a good time.”
Afterwards, the fans let go of balloons and joined together in singing One Direction songs and songs of Payne’s. The songs were bittersweet, and many tears were shed. Friends and family members of the star also expressed their grief over his death, including his four fellow bandmates.
Among the first to post was Zayn Malik, who left the band in 2015 to pursue a solo career, stating: “I lost a brother when you left us… I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever. Love you bro.” Fellow bandmate Louis Tomlinson also referred to Liam as a brother, writing: “I wish I got a chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well.”
Harry Styles described the singer as: “warm, supportive, and incredibly loving”, and that he was: “truly devastated by Liam’s passing”, and will: “miss him always”. Niall Horan, who Liam had been to Argentina to see perform just days before his passing, wrote that he: “sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging you that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever.”
Campaigners are now calling for Liam’s Law in honour of the singer, that would mandate regular metal health check-ups for those in the music industry. Many fans feel as though if Liam had received help in the days leading up to his death, he would still be alive today.
Let’s hope that the tragic passing of one of the music industry’s biggest stars can raise awareness of the struggles that so many in the industry face, and protect them from the hardships that have taken so many lives before them.
