Liam Payne’s family are preparing to gather to remember his life after the star was tragically taken too soon on Wednesday, October 16. Liam, who shot to fame in the boyband after auditioning on The X Factor, suffered “serious injuries that were incompatible with life” after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room at Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Reports have suggested Liam accidentally fell after “fainting” and an initial toxicology report found traces of designer drug pink cocaine in his system. The star had jetted off to the South American country with girlfriend Kate Cassidy, 25, though she returned home to Florida after spending a fortnight away with Liam.
His heartbroken father Geoff immediately flew out to Argentina to help bring his son’s body home in order for a funeral to take place, the Mirror reports. Liam’s body is said to have been moved from a Buenos Aires morgue to the historic British Cemetery in the northern part of the Argentinian capital, following permission granted to Geoff by prosecutors.
Respected Argentinian daily La Nacion reported that Geoff was personally informed in a recent meeting with prosecution chief Andres Madrea that he could return to the UK with Liam’s body two weeks after arriving in the South American country.
It stated: “All the documents are ready for the former One Direction singer to return to his homeland so a funeral can take place there next week. When Geoff Payne reached Argentina on October 18, he was told the repatriation process could take between four and five days, but because of the circumstances surrounding his son’s death things took longer than expected.”
Details of the former 1D star’s funeral haven’t been made public, but it is expected to be a private celebration of Liam’s life following hundreds of vigils held by fans in the UK and all across the world in recent weeks. It’s not clear whether Liam’s former bandmates will be in attendance, but it has been claimed that some of Liam’s famous friends will be.
A source claimed that there will be “a series of song tributes” at the funeral as Liam “loved singing and making music until the end.” The source told Radar Online: “Liam’s funeral is going to be packed with A-listers as he was so well-loved in the showbiz community, and so many of them are so sad about his tragic death.
“His family want to keep his farewell low-key and respectful, as it’s what Liam would have wanted as he was so down to earth. But there are going to be a series of song tributes from some very big acts as he loved singing and making music until the end.”