The 31-year-old former One Direction member tragically passed away on October 16, 2024, after falling from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Payne had been in the Argentine capital to attend a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan and was seen dancing at the event, accompanied by Cassidy.
However, two days before his death, the 26-year-old returned to the US alone. Police later confirmed they were called to the hotel due to reports of an “aggressive man” possibly under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
In a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Cassidy shared the details of their final in-person exchange, describing it as both “haunting” and “beautiful.”
Cassidy and Payne were with each other for two years before the former One Direction singer’s death (Instagram/kateecass)
“On our final day in Argentina, my car was in the driveway, and we went back to the guest house to grab my suitcase. We sat on the couch, and I just kept talking endlessly about how much I loved him, how important he was to me, and how much I would miss him. I told him I couldn’t wait for him to be back in Florida,” she recalled.
“We were at the start of this exciting new chapter in our lives—we had just bought a house, gotten a dog, and moved to America. I’d spent two years living in England with him, and now we were starting fresh in my country. It felt like a time of so many new beginnings, all shining with positivity.”
“I remember sitting there with him, talking non-stop, and telling Liam how much I loved him.”
Cassidy went on to share, “He laughed and interrupted me, saying, ‘Kate, you’re going to miss your flight, your car’s in the driveway—you’re acting like this is the last time you’ll ever see me.'”
“I just laughed and replied, ‘I know, I’m being silly. I need to get in the car, I can’t miss my flight.'”
“Looking back now, knowing that was truly the last time I saw him, it’s incredibly haunting. But in a way, I feel so grateful for how we said goodbye. It was so full of love.”
She explained that their “heartfelt, beautiful” farewell provides her with a sense of peace as she navigates the grief of Payne’s passing.
