Liam Payne's journey to sobriety ends in tragedy

Tragically, Liam Payne's life ended in crisis, a source close to the former One Direction star revealed to Page Six.

"Liam had been cycling through periods of ruinous behavior for a long time," the insider shared. "He was open about his struggles but tried to downplay them at times. His demons were much worse than he let on."

Payne, 31, passed away on Wednesday, October 16, in Buenos Aires after a fatal fall from a hotel's third floor.

Authorities have not disclosed the cause of death, but investigators suspect that Payne may have been under the influence of substances before the incident.

The Strip That Down singer struggled with addiction and mental health issues, which he openly discussed in recent years.

Before his passing, Liam Payne shared a Snapchat video, seemingly enjoying a "lovely day in Argentina" with girlfriend Kate Cassidy. However, the footage appeared to be old, as Kate had already returned to Florida, according to her TikTok.

Payne, a former One Direction member, openly discussed his struggles with addiction and mental health. In a 2021 podcast, he revealed hitting "rock bottom" and experiencing "suicidal ideation" during his time in the band.

The group, formed on The X Factor in 2008, included Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and briefly, Zayn Malik (who left in 2015). One Direction disbanded in 2016.

The singer made one of his final public appearances on October 2 at Niall Horan's Buenos Aires concert.

The Stack It Up crooner, who shared a 7-year-old son named Bear with ex Cheryl Cole, had recently turned his life around. In 2023, he revealed he'd completed rehab and was over 100 days sober.

Former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik have not publicly commented on Payne's passing.