The late singer-songwriter was recently honored at a heartfelt memorial attended by close friends and family. Among those paying their respects was his former partner, whom he once described as his “wife.” She joined their young child to say a final goodbye. One Direction star Liam Payne was finally laid to rest in his homeland weeks after his untimely passing abroad. His former love, Cheryl Tweedy, (commonly known as Cheryl), and their child, alongside his former bandmates, gathered to say their heartfelt goodbyes.

Cheryl and Liam’s journey began when they met on the set of “The X Factor,” where he competed as a contestant, and Cheryl served as a judge. The former couple’s romantic relationship blossomed years later in 2016, and in 2017, they welcomed their son, Bear, into the world. That same year, as a first-time parent, the English singer and songwriter, shared a playful comment about his then-girlfriend during an interview. While discussing his cravings after starting a diet, an interviewer joked about his move to Los Angeles being motivated by In-N-Out Burger. Liam quipped, “Yeah, exactly. I left my wife and child at home and I was straight out to an In-N-Out Burger.”

Although they separated in 2018, the pair maintained a harmonious co-parenting relationship. Liam lived close to Cheryl and their son in the quaint village of Chalfont St. Giles in southeast Buckinghamshire in England.

Liam’s lighthearted humor and dedication to his family remained defining traits, even as life led him in new directions. Following the end of his relationship with Cheryl, he began dating U.S. influencer Kate Cassidy. Tragically, their time together took a heartbreaking turn during a trip to Argentina. On October 16, 2024, Liam passed away after a devastating fall from a balcony at the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires. The autopsy revealed that he succumbed to multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding.

The loss of Liam left his loved ones grappling with immense grief. Just two days after his passing, Cheryl shared a heartfelt photo of the songwriter and their son on social media, accompanied by an emotional plea for privacy. She expressed that as she navigated the earth-shattering event and worked through her own grief during this indescribably painful time, she wanted to kindly remind everyone that a human being had been lost. “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend, and a father to our 7-year-old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again,” penned Cheryl.

Cheryl voiced her deep worry about the long-term impact of media coverage on their son, Bear, lamenting that he might one day encounter the hurtful reports. She urged fans and media to act with compassion, asking them to consider the harm such content causes. The singer concluded with a heartfelt plea for dignity, requesting that Liam be allowed some peace in the wake of his passing.