Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy has opened up about the singer’s death, saying she is “still working on accepting the fact that he’s not here anymore”.
The singer, 31, died in October last year after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
Cassidy was with Payne in Buenos Aires but flew to the US days before the British pop star star died.
In an emotional interview with ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly, she said: “It’s hard for me to refer to him in the past tense, and when I do refer to him in the past tense it almost stings that little bit more because… it just … it’s more official.”
Cassidy, 25, said she has her “harder days” and has sometimes struggled “to get out of bed in the morning”, but added: “I’m surrounded by such a great support system that I cannot thank enough.”
She praised Kelly and ITV for launching a new mental health initiative, which she is helping to promote, and said: “I genuinely believe Liam, in a way, guided me to this campaign and wanted me to be involved in this, and to help other people.”
Cassidy, an American social media influencer, said that he “was so open about his mental health” and she is supporting the push as “he no longer can help people”.
She added: “I’m going through this healing journey, sometimes it’s hard for me to get out of bed in the morning and something I don’t want to do.
“But I have this responsibility and this obligation that I am almost in a way… I have no choice. I have to get out of bed [for my dog] Nala and whether it’s a five-minute walk or 20-minute walk first thing in the morning.
“Either way, it just wakes me up and refreshes my mind instead of laying in bed all day just scrolling through social media or old photos, it gets me out of bed and really, really helps my mindset and my mental health.”
Kate Cassidy and model Damian Hurley at Payne’s funeral service in November. Pic: PA
Cassidy, who began dating Payne in 2022, previously said he was “the most humble, charming, normal person you could ever hope to come across, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life”.
Court documents state that former One Direction star Payne fell from the balcony of his room on the third floor of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires at about 5.10pm on 16 October.
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Toxicology tests revealed that before his death, he had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his body.
His cause of death was “polytrauma” from multiple injuries and internal and external bleeding, a postmortem found.
Last month, manslaughter charges against Payne’s friend Rogelio “Roger” Nores, hotel operator Gilda Martin, and head of reception Esteban Grassi were dropped following an appeal.
Hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz are still facing prosecution for allegedly supplying Payne with drugs, having been charged in December. Supplying drugs in Argentina carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
