Liam Payne gave away an eye-watering £10,000 to help people in need weeks before he died.
The One Direction star fatally fell from a balcony at the CasaSur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Wednesday (October 16). Liam is understood to have fallen from around 13 or 14 metres, sustaining "very serious injuries incompatible with life."
Since then, tributes for the hitmaker have poured in from family members, former bandmates and fans, with many focusing on his charitable work. It has now emerged that Liam spent £10,000 in one night to help others in need.
On September 30, Liam had read a series of devastating stories on GoFundMe. Some £2,300 went to support Jack, a 28-year-old from the US suffering from cancer.
He donated a further £3,833 to Macy Shepard, four, who was diagnosed with a rare tumour on her kidney. £770 was put towards a girl’s medical bills after she was injured in a school shooting in America.
His final donation was £2,223 to help stroke victim Kailyn, who is just four years old. He told The Sun at the time that he was inspired to donate after thinking of his son, Bear.
He said he donated to people in the US specifically as they do not have access to free healthcare. “As a father, it hits me differently," he said.
"I have been spending the last few nights trying to finish off the donations so they can get the operations they need - they would be free in my country,” he explained. “I can’t not look at a sick child and not see Bear. I’m not asking for people to say well done or I’m amazing.”
Liam's former bandmates – Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, who were brought together on The X Factor in 2010 – issued a joint statement on Thursday night (October 17). "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing," it read.
"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.
"The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam."
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
English (US) ·