Liam Payne’s heartbreak behind fresh start for his and Cheryl’s son Bear before tragic death

Liam Payne and former Girls Aloud star Cheryl first started dating in 2016 and welcomed son Bear in 2017, before splitting the following year

Before his tragic passing at the tender age of 31, Liam Payne had had made a fresh start with ex-girlfriend Cheryl for the sake of their beloved son Bear.

In a devastating turn of events, the former One Direction star met his untimely end after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, where he was holidaying with partner Kate Cassidy. The couple had recently been spotted enjoying a gig by Niall Horan, Liam’s old mate from their 1D days.

Following the horrific incident, emergency services including police, fire brigade and paramedics were seen outside the hotel. Eyewitnesses reported that officials were called to the scene due to reports of someone acting erratically inside the hotel, possibly under the influence of substances.

A body was found in the inner courtyard of the hotel, and it is understood that hotel staff alerted the authorities.

According to the Mirror, it is believed Liam fell from a height of around 13 or 14 metres, sustaining “very serious injuries incompatible with life.”

READ MORE: Liam Payne’s final posts before death showed him shirtless and cosying up to girlfriend

Alberto Crescenti, a spokesperson for the ambulance service, stated that the fall was from roughly 40 metres high, resulting in “severe injuries which were incompatible with life.”

Liam Payne, who became a dad at 23 when he and former flame Cheryl welcomed son Bear in 2017, parted ways with Cheryl the following year after a two-and-a-half-year relationship. Despite going their separate ways, Cheryl, now 40, and Liam continued to co-parent, though Liam had been rarely seen with Bear in recent years.

In March, Liam Payne warmed hearts by sharing a sweet snap of his son Bear on Instagram, dressed in a bright yellow jacket and looking up at a billboard promoting his father’s new music venture. The touching caption read: “I want to be on a billboard one day, Daddy.”

An insider has revealed that following his split from Cheryl and personal struggles, including stints in rehab and dealing with mental health issues, Liam was keen for a fresh start with the mother of his child and his son, as OK! magazine reports.

“We don’t see a lot of Bear on Liam’s social media but I think he wants to prove to Cheryl that he’s getting his life together,” the source said. “He really wants to be a good dad and with Cheryl now going back on tour with Girls Aloud, she’ll be busier than ever and won’t be at home as much.”

Liam Payne was reportedly determined to show Cheryl he could be a dependable father to their son Bear, especially after facing significant emotional turmoil. Having candidly discussed the “scars” from early fame and the low points following One Direction’s hiatus in 2016, Liam has admitted that Bear’s birth coincided with the end of his romantic relationship with Cheryl.

The history between Liam Payne and Cheryl goes back to when he first met her at his audition for The X Factor at just 14 years old. They later confirmed their relationship in February 2016.

Cheryl had her fans waiting with bated breath for ages before she finally confirmed her pregnancy in a L’Oreal photoshoot, where she proudly cradled her burgeoning bump donned in a snug black gown. On Mother’s Day 2017, Cheryl and her beau revealed the arrival of their tot with matching Instagram snaps, showing Liam lovingly embracing their new addition.

Yet, despite the initial euphoria, the fairy tale took a turn as Liam opened up about entering troubled waters post their boy’s birth, Bear.

Delving into his personal life during a podcast in June 2022, Liam spoke fondly of Bear, referring to him as “a lovely, lovely boy”, and heaping praise on Cheryl by saying, “She is the best mum in the world, I couldn’t ask for someone better.”

However, he conceded that the entrance of Bear “ruined” his and Cheryl’s romantic chapter “for all the right reasons”. Previously in the last year, the ex-One Direction star disclosed a 100-day stint at an intensive rehab centre in Louisiana aiming to heal from old wounds.

Liam opened up about his time away, admitting: “I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually, because I kind of became somebody who I didn’t really recognise any more.”