English singer, television personality, and Liam Payne's former partner, Cheryl Cole, mourned the death of the late One Direction member in a statement on Friday, October 18.
In her Instagram post, Cole pleaded for media and fans to be respectful and sensitive when covering his death. A well-known pop star for many, Payne was also a brother, a son, an uncle, a friend, and a father to their seven-year-old son.
“As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I'd like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being,” her statement read.
Cole mourned the late singer’s passing, as their son Bear, will now have to live with the reality of never seeing his father again. However, what bothers Cole is the fact that their son will have access to such reports about his father.
“What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day Bear will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past two days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future,” she said.
The English singer pleaded for the media and the public to consider what some of the reports are serving, implicating that it had already caused harm to everyone who's left behind to pick up the pieces.
“Before you leave comments of make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them,” she said.
“Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last,” she ended.
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The former One Direction member died on Wednesday, October 16, after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He was 31 years old.