Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson are seen sharing an emotional long hug on their final One Direction tour in a heartbreaking resurfaced video.
It comes after singer Liam tragically fell to his death from a third-floor balcony in Argentine capital Buenos Aires on Wednesday, aged just 31.
And now a 20 second video has resurfaced on social media of Liam, then 24, and Louis, then 25, wrapping their arms around each other as they closed their On The Road Again Tour in 2016.
After 77 shows together and four world tours, the former bandmates bear hugged while on stage during their final tour date in Sheffield. This was also One Direction’s last tour before their hiatus began in 2016.
One Direction, who became Britain’s biggest pop group since The Beatles, was made up of Liam, Harry Styles, 30, Niall Horan, 31, Zayn Malik, 31, and Louis Tomlinson, 32.
Following Liam’s tragic death, Louis shared a heartbreaking tribute to his bandmate.
In a statement shared to Instagram, Louis said he was ‘beyond devastated’ by his friend’s death, and said that he will ‘always be an uncle’ for the late singer’s eight-year-old son Bear.
‘I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul.
‘I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.
‘Liam was an incredible song writer with a great sense of melody, we often spoke of getting back in the studio together to try and recreate the writing chemistry we had built up in the band.
‘And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction. His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.
‘A message to you Liam if you’re listening: I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye.
‘I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours, reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life.
‘I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.
‘I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.
‘I wish I got chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you. Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X.’
Louis shared the moving post along with a snap of himself and Liam performing together in 2015, before One Direction announced their hiatus the following year.
Just minutes later, Zayn also took to social media to share his own lengthy tribute, with a sweet snap of himself and Liam asleep together.
He wrote: ‘Liam I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.
‘I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life.
‘When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved.
‘Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me., you were headstrong, opinionated and gave no f**ks about telling people they were wrong.
‘Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it.
‘When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense, I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child, with no experience and you were already a professional.