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Kate Cassidy explains why she just did a new interview with The Sun following the One Direction star's death, in which she opened up about his "headspace," their relationship, and how she found out he died.
Liam Payne's girlfriend at the time of his death is speaking out in a new interview, explaining whys she's doing so publicly for the first time since he died in Argentina back in October.
25-year-old influencer Kate Cassidy sat down with The Sun, getting emotional after she looked back on her relationship with the late One Direction singer and shared her immediate reaction to his shocking death.
Payne unexpectedly passed away after fatally falling from his hotel balcony during a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31, leaving behind young son Bear with ex Cheryl Cole. Payne's death came shortly after Cassidy, who had traveled to Argentina with Payne, returned home to care for their rescue dog, Nala.
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"The past few months have been truly heartbreaking. I keep hoping I'll wake up and this was all just a bad dream. Most days I feel numb and broken. The weight of it all feels unbearable," Cassidy said on Instagram, defending her decision to speak with The Sun while sharing a link to the interview.
"However, after receiving thousands of messages from Liam's fans seeking clarity during this devastating time, I wanted to share insight into the relationship with the love of my life," she continued. "This is my first ever interview while I navigate the pain of losing Liam, so please bear with me as I share my experience, which I hope will be received with compassion and understanding."
She concluded: "Thank you so much for your kindness and support. It means more than I can put into words."
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In the article itself, Cassidy said Payne "was in such a good headspace when I left Argentina," telling the publication the two were also "in such a great place, just full of love" before she left. "He was so happy and positive. And I just can't believe the way things truly ended," she continued, "Obviously if I knew, if I could see into the future, I would never have left Argentina."
"I never, ever thought this event would occur. We did have our own separate lives -- this wasn't the first time we have traveled separately," she explained, before sharing the final text message she sent him. "I can't wait for you to get home and see the house," she wrote, after setting up Halloween decorations back at home.
She also revealed the last photo she took of him -- showing Payne on horseback in Argentina -- saying, "He looks so happy."
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Cassidy said she found out about Payne's death from one of his friends, who called her as she was sitting at home "scrolling TikTok."
"That moment, it's like blank; it's blacked out in my head," she said of her initial reaction. "I didn't believe it at first. I thought it was just a rumor. Or something that somebody made up just to get views."
"Instantly I just had a bad feeling in my gut," she added. "When I officially found the news out to be true, I felt numb. I tried to call him. I called pretty much everybody."
When asked about his struggle with addiction and what could have caused his apparent relapse, Cassidy said, "I don't think I want to answer that because I literally wouldn't even know. With addiction, you just never know when it's going to come out. It's a serious issue that is under-valued and under-spoken about."
"I supported Liam through thick and thin, and I always just loved his soul. I always wanted to be there for him. I genuinely always really did try to do anything I could do to help," she added. "You know, I’m 25, I’m not an expert with any of this, so it was hard. But I loved him and I loved him no matter what. I just did what I could do, and what I could manage to do."
