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Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy broke down as she opened up about the One Direction singer’s death in her first interview since the incident.
Payne died in October last year at the age of 31 after falling from a third floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His cause of death was confirmed as “polytrauma”. Argentinian authorities dropped manslaughter charges against two hotel staff members and Payne’s friend Rogelio Nores.
The singer shot to fame when One Direction was formed on The X Factor in 2010, and the band went on to achieve staggering international success alongside bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson.
Cassidy told ITV host Lorraine Kelly on Wednesday (5 March) that she has struggled to get out of bed since Payne’s death, but believes that the singer is still guiding her.
She appeared on Lorraine to promote the show’s March4March mental health campaign.
The social media influencer, who first started dating Payne in 2022, had been on the fatal Argentina trip with Payne for two weeks before she decided to return home to Florida. The couple sparked speculation of a rift following Cassidy’s return home, but she revealed at the time that she had come back to look after their rescue dog, Nala.
The 25-year-old said it is her first experience of grief, but added that walking her dog has helped her manage her mental health as she told Kelly: “Sometimes it’s hard for me to get out of bed in the morning.”
“I know part of your own healing has just been taking your dog out for a walk. It’s something as simple as that which can make all the difference,” Kelly said.
Cassidy replied: “It really can make such a difference, and for me. I’ve always enjoyed walking. I would consider myself an active person but obviously now that I’m going through this healing journey, sometimes it’s hard for me to get out of bed in the morning and it’s something that I don’t want to do.
“I am trying to do my best. I have my better days, I have my harder days but I’m surrounded by such a great support system that I cannot thank enough. Having Nala around has helped me so much with my healing journey.”
The influencer explained that the title of the campaign, March4March, resonated with her as it included a special connection to Payne and inspired her to help others.
“I was drawn to the number four,” she said. “It’s me and Liam’s angel number, which symbolises support and guidance from your angels.
“I genuinely feel that Liam in a way guided me to this campaign and wanted me to be involved in this and help other people. It’s something he would have wanted me to do. Every time I see the number four, I know he’s there with me.”
She praised the singer for his honesty saying: “Liam was so open about his mental health and I know he would have wanted me to help anybody because he can no longer help people.”
She added: “I will always have so much love for him. He was really one of a kind, he would light up any room he walked into, and he had this sense of humour where he just really could make anything better. His presence was comforting and warming and that’s something that I’ll never forget about him ever.”
