Liam Payne's sisters pen moving tributes on the anniversary of his death

17 October 2025, 11:07

Liam Payne's sisters Ruth and Nicola both shared lengthy tributes full of emotion on the first anniversary of their brother's death.

Thursday 16th October 2025 marked the first anniversary of Liam Payne's tragic death.

While the day was full of people remembering Liam and his legacy, it was inevitability full of grief as his friends, family and fans mourned an entire year without him.

Liam's girlfriend Kate Cassidy shared a happy photo of them cuddled up in bed. Under the post she wrote: "Today marks a full year without you here. I will forever hate goodbyes. I miss you Liam."

And now Liam's sisters, Nicola and Ruth, who have often shared tributes to their brother on social media, remembered him in their own heartfelt posts.

• Read more: Louis Tomlinson addresses One Direction reunion after Liam Payne's passing

Read Nicola Payne's tribute to Liam in full:

"A year ago today marks a date I never wanted to see again. The day our lives changed forever and our hearts were left broken, with pieces missing. That night, unaware of what you were going through, that you were alone. Me and Ffion watching Dinosaur on the TV and me saying to her, 'Next time we see Uncle Liam, he'll be able to tell you all the dinosaurs, as he loves them'. I didn't know that as those words left my lips, and the pictures I took of the dinosaur to show you, that still sit on my phone today, that there wouldn't be a next time. There wouldn't be that chance to do something so normal to everyone else. It would never happen for us.

The next thing finding out you had gone. Without a moment to comprehend, we found out with the world, praying the world had got it wrong until hours passed and it was confirmed. We didn't get to say goodbye, we didn't know all of the lasts had already happened. We sit and listen to the world's view, a view of what we should be doing, what they think they know, and like a lot of your life, it just doesn't seem fair. We have only received a minuscule amount of the ridicule you received in life and in death and, it's been unbearable.

Over the past twelve months, you've never left my thoughts. We retell stories to bring you closer. I apologise and I thank you all the time for everything you have done for us and all that you allowed us to see. Those memories will be cherished forever.

I continue to acknowledge you every day, as though you are still here with us. I talk about you with Ffion and include you in everything we do, searching the sky for the brightest star, because that's Uncle Liam. Calming the rain before we walk to school, because that's Uncle Liam. Seeing a rainbow, a butterfly, a cloud, because that's Uncle Liam. Accidentally losing a balloon that floats gently towards the sky, knowing that means Uncle Liam has joined the celebration. But with these moments comes a pain, a pain that will never heal. There is always something, someone, missing, and I know that will remain for as long as l live.

We will continue to talk about you always, so the kids know the precious, kind, outstanding, so utterly talented, one of a kind uncle they have. We will ensure Bear knows everything about the amazing daddy he has, not just your achievements and success over the years, but all of the things that made you you. The little jokes you used to tell as a kid, the things we've laughed about over the years, the little pranks, your thoughtfulness, how you cared, your laugh, your wish for everyone to succeed. You always loved to be our cheerleader, and the plans you had, so many plans.

My hopes and dreams for you are still the same. That you are happy, that you know how loved you are, that you are at peace, that you have friends up above, people you can chat to, people you can be you with, that funny, loving person you are. I hope you still light up the spaces you enter, that your laughter brightens people's mood, that our nans and grandads are getting you to perform whenever they get a chance, and that crowds appear to listen to the boy that sings and smiles like he was born to do. But now, I also hope that you are able to watch over us from the best seat in the house. Sometimes I find comfort in believing you can see the things I want to share with you, but other times it breaks my heart that we can no longer hear about your life or tell you about ours.

I also hope that you are proud of us, and that if you are, you continue to feel proud. We really are trying here, but sometimes it's just so damn hard. I don't want you to be a picture on my shelf or a video on my phone. I want you here with us, where you should be.

I love you, Liam. I will never not miss you, and will forever be so proud of you. XX"

Read Ruth Gibbins' tribute to Liam in full:

1 year, 12months, 52weeks, 365days... whichever way I say it, it still means the most heartbreaking truth that you're not here any more.

When you used to go away on tour, and l'd cry that you'd be gone for a while, I always knew you'd come back, but now I can't get you home, I can't meet up with you somewhere in the world, I can't FaceTime or text to see how you're doing, it's an eternal homesick feeling because we can't go back.

I underestimated grief, woah did I underestimate it. I am paralysed by it daily. I thought I had felt it before but I know the losses before you were just intense sadness, you are the loss of my life, the one person who l will miss at every single occasion in my life. I'd taken for granted that my little brother would be there through life, what a cruel lesson to learn in our 30s, that a sibling is not guaranteed to be a lifer, that I have to face this without you.

Your death will never make sense, no matter how much I study it, whatever angle I look at it, it never makes sense. You shouldn't have died. I have a reoccurring nightmare where I am in your hotel room just before it happened and you can't hear me screaming for you, my brain is locked on your last minutes on this earth, the unaccounted minutes, the minutes I will never have the answers to, the minutes that changed everything.

So much has happened in a year, so much to tell you, our kids have changed massively, you would continue to be in awe of your son! I've definitely got funnier (I know you're thinking how is that possible right?!) - some of the jokes I make really make me smile because I know they would have earned me a 'Ruuu' off you, l've visited some beautiful places but each place has confirmed, no matter the view, I will still feel your void from all corners of the earth.

Theres so many things that have happened where l've tried to imagine what would be said if you were in the room, how you would expect me to react or handle things for you, maybe a 'Liam would love this', or a lot of 'Liam would be fuming this is happening' but then the thoughts are followed by the emptiness of your absence.

I'm sorry I have not been able to keep my promises to you in the event of your death, it will forever haunt me how little I have been able to do as you said. We were so naive in our conversations about this serious stuff in how much of the law is in death, outdated laws we never knew existed where nothing is simple, why would we know about them in our early 30's, the devastation just sinks deeper with every bit of you I fail.

I saw a post on TikTok that said something about 'if you had 5 more minutes with the person you miss the most, what would you do?' I've thought about this alot, minutes to properly say goodbye to you. It'd be at your house. I'd want to be in the room first so that I can hear your feet and ankles clicking as you walk towards it and then get that feeling of joy the moment you walk in, with your shoulders in the unique way they hang. I'd then ask for us to go and walk around your garden, this was always where we would really catch up on plans and things that were bothering us. We'd stop to listen to the bird noise, you'd say 'it's a woodpecker that is' and I'd agree knowing nothing about birds. I'd tell a joke and you'd laugh in your kidish way, with that twinkle in your eye. We'd walk round to my car, you'd quip 'my father drives a Jaguar' (no one has made this joke to me since you've been gone). We would hug, a tight bear hug, the only hug that made me feel calm, I'd tell you how proud I am of you, not just proud of your job, proud of the person you are, we'd leave on the 'love you mate' and as I drove away, you would be stood waving in my rearview mirror.

If someone would have asked me on the 17th October 2024, as I sat assessing the giant gaping wreck that had been left, if we'd all get through this, I'd have said not a chance, the life of our family had been completely extinguished and even then I knew it was impossible to mend. I think of my grief as a clock, I explained to you years ago when I was nagging you to be better at answering your phone, that my head was like the 'Weasley's clock' out of Harry Potter, where it would check everyone in our family in before I could switch off and with you travelling the world, it'd really need your confirmation of being safe and sound before l'd settle. Only now, there is a number missing off the clock, which means nothing in my days makes sense and it feels like no one is safe and sound

You died which is something that happened, but your absence is something that happens to me everyday before I even open my eyes. I am now the girl who looks robins in the eyes just incase it is you, the girl who hopes the butterfly ahead lands on her incase it is you, the girl who says 'goodnight Liam' to the stars each night just incase that's where I will find you.

Wherever you are, I hope you can hear me, I hope you are guiding me and I hope you know the love I have for you is infinite.

I hope I get the chance to be your sister in every lifetime.

For a year, I have watched people speak and draw conclusions on Liam and his death, a spectator of the most triggering interviews and comments, without any warning or heads-up that my person's death is about to once again be discussed publicly, whilst I am desperately trying to resume my normal life that doesn't fit around my grief or me anymore. Whilst I am still on my knees struggling to regain balance since my world burned down and every time I try to take a step, something comes and sets fire to all the progress I thought I had made in my mind, in trying to understand where or why Liam isn't here helping me through this.

Everyone only seems interested in the public side of this, some sadly seem more interested in the fame they can gain off this, but on the human side people need to remember when they speak, there is a son without his Dad, parents without their child and I am lost without my brother.

Love always Liam, in every lifetime.

Everyone at Capital sends their love to Liam's family and friends, and to his fans all around the world.

Read more about Liam Payne here:

• Liam Payne's sister Nicola wishes him a 'happy heavenly birthday' in moving post
• Liam Payne sings One Direction with fans in emotional on Building The Band clip
• Liam Payne makes final on-screen appearance in Building The Band trailer
• Liam Payne didn't leave a will, here's what happens to his £24 million fortune

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