Friend reveals last conversation with Liam Payne before his tragic fall

The sudden death of Liam Payne, the former One Direction star, has left fans and friends reeling.

A close friend of Payne, Jodie Richards, has shared the heartbreaking final messages exchanged between them just hours before his tragic fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Liam Payne's heartbreaking goodbye

Richards, who taught Payne performing arts at Pink Productions in Wolverhampton, expressed disbelief at the initial reports of his death.

"I thought it was fake," she said.

Payne, 31, suffered a fractured skull after falling from the third floor of the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel shortly after 5 p.m. (ART) on Tuesday.

In the hours leading up to his death, Payne reached out to Richards to "touch base" and check in on friends in his hometown.

They had maintained a close friendship, often communicating daily as his fame skyrocketed.

Their last conversation took place just a day before the tragedy, with Payne sending a casual message while Richards was at the gym with her son.

After receiving a photo from him, she replied, "Sorry just home."

The situation took a devastating turn when Richards learned of Payne's death.

In a series of panicked messages, she texted him, "Liam!!! Please tell me this isn't true!!!!!!"

Her subsequent messages conveyed her shock and sorrow: "Please Liam. Goodnight Mr. P. I have no words and don't want to say goodbye. When I wake up I'm sure it will all be a dream."

Recalling the moment she discovered the news, Richards shared, "I got messages coming through from friends, saying 'Please tell me it's not true.'

So, I had to Google it. I couldn't believe what was happening; I thought it was fake news."

After attempting to reach him via phone and text, she realized the severity of the situation as reports confirmed the tragedy.

One Direction band mates post heartfelt tribute

In the wake of Payne's death, former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik released a joint statement, expressing their devastation.

"We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing," the statement read.

"We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us."

Tributes and messages of support for Liam's family and friend continue to pour in from around the world.