Former One Direction member Liam Payne died at 31 years old in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Oct. 16.
Payne was reported to have fallen off a hotel balcony while intoxicated, according to CNN News.
He had a 7-year-old son and a girlfriend, who he left behind when he died.
Police had received a call from the hotel staff before his death, saying that his room had a balcony and they were afraid he might do something because he had overdosed on drugs.
Etaash Verma, 12, of the Trailblazers team, says that his cousin loved the band, and it rubbed off on him. Etaash loved the band from a young age, and is deeply disappointed.
“I felt devastated. But being in the situation I was, in the school bus, I couldn’t show it,” says Etaash.
The rest of the members of the band all shared their tributes and were deeply disappointed.
Liam’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, has been mourning this loss, according to USA Today.
Etaash says that he cannot listen to One Direction anymore without bursting into tears.
He says that one of his friends casually told him on the bus that Payne died.
At the time, Etaash didn’t know who Payne was, but as he learned about him, he realized who it was.
He now listens to old country music as a way to cope with this loss.
Hotel staff say that he was intoxicated by drugs and alcohol. They also said that he was breaking the whole room.
Cassidy wrote in her Instagram post that she will continue to love him for the rest of her life.
According to Today.com, he died from poly trauma and internal/external bleeding from the autopsy.
He had very serious injuries and was declared dead on the scene.
Etaash loved how the band was upbeat and how it could bring energy into a room.
His favorite songs were “What Makes you Beautiful” and “Best Song Ever”.
Etaash feels terrible, and says, “If you feel sad, listen to country music. It helps.”
