KATE Cassidy has posted a Valentine’s Day tribute to the late Liam Payne – declaring him her “best friend from afar”.
The social media star had been dating Liam for two years before his sudden death in October 2024 – and despite his passing, she makes sure to remember him on key dates.
This Valentine’s Day, Kate shared a never-before seen photograph of the pair in happier times.
The polaroid snap shows Kate sitting on Liam’s lap as they pose for the picture in somebody’s garden.
She simply noted: “Happy Valentine’s Day to my best friend from afar.”
Kate and Liam dated for from October 2022, through to the time of his death in October 2024. He was 31 years old.
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The One Direction star died after a horror fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, where he was due to attend his old bandmate Niall Horan’s show.
Kate had been holidaying with him in the country, but had returned to their home in Florida alone to look after their dog, Nala, just two days before the tragedy.
Kate has been left heartbroken by the loss, and continues to remember him by sharing photos, videos and memories on special occasions, including his birthday.
In February this year, Kate was seen in tears as she visited the UK home she once shared with the singer.
“I’ve been sitting outside of the house that I used to live in with Liam for the past 45 minutes just in my car and it’s just really hard to wrap my head around the fact that I’m not pulling in the driveway and going home to him being there,” she said.
“You really just never know what life is going to bring. Life can bring you plenty of happiness and plenty of joy, I’ve experienced it all.
“But I’ve never felt this much pain.”
When facing criticism for her public heartache, Kate hit back by reminding fans that he was a “real person in her life” and she can grieve how she wants.
In December last year, in retaliation to another fan who said they “wanted her to move on and stop talking about him”, she declared she will always love him.
Posting a video in tears, Kate said: “I want to make something clear. Whoever I end up with in myfuturewill have to accept the fact I will always love Liam, I will always talk about Liam I will always laugh about Liam, I will always cry about Liam.”
She said she normally pays no mind to critical comments but this topic really riled her.
“Let me tell you something, Liam Payne was my boyfriend,” she continued. “He wasn’t just this famous figure to me. It hurts so bad because I am just criticized all the time for speaking about my boyfriend that passed away, the person that I loved and still do love.
“I would never settle for anyone in this lifetime who did not feel comfortable enough with me speaking about Liam.”