Liam Payne‘s girlfriend Kate Cassidy somberly commemorated the late One Direction’s birthday in a beautiful way.
The influencer, 26, held back tears in a TikTok video, set to Mazzy Star’s melancholic 1993 ballad “Fade Into You,” as she baked a cake for what would have been Payne’s 32nd birthday on Friday, August 29.
Cassidy finally broke down in tears as she lit one candle on the cake in honor of her late partner, who died in October 2024 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. She had been vacationing in Argentina with Payne but returned to her native U.S. only a few days before his death.
The final seconds of the heartbreaking TikTok footage saw Cassidy cutting into the cake and sharing a piece with the couple’s rescue dog Nala. Payne and Cassidy adopted Nala from a shelter just one month before the musician’s death.
“Happy birthday Liam,” she wrote in the caption. “I know you still have the sweetest tooth in heaven. I’m not very good at baking these days.”
Cassidy received encouragement from her TikTok followers, with one commenting: “He’s watching over you.”
“You’re so beautiful and so strong. This is so sweet, sending you so much love,” another assured her.
A third viewer added, “Happy Birthday Liam !! He’s spending it with you and is so proud of how you’re living your life 💗 you’re so strong love you.”
Cassidy had earlier shared a music video via Instagram in honor of Payne’s birthday, along with the memorial message: “8.29.93. A special day for the most special soul. I miss you so much. Happy Birthday Liam. I wish we could celebrate together. In the next life I guess.”
Cassidy has candidly shared her moments of intense grief since Payne’s October 2024 death, including revealing on U.K. morning show Lorraine in March that she still struggled to accept that the “Strip That Down” singer was truly gone.
“I find myself talking about him so much in the present tense. I don’t even feel the need to correct myself,” she explained. “That’s part of my healing journey. I’m still working on accepting the fact that he’s not here anymore. It’s hard for me to refer to him in the past tense. It almost stings that little bit more because it’s more official. It’s very hard to accept.”
During her Lorraine interview, Cassidy admitted she was “trying to do [her] best” but still experienced plenty of “harder days” because of the shocking nature of Payne’s death.
“I am surrounded by such a great support system that I cannot thank enough,” she acknowledged. “Having [my dog] Nala has helped me so much with my healing journey. I just couldn’t thank everybody enough, all of my friends, my family, for being supportive and helping me be productive. I really am trying to be as productive as I can with not just being stuck in my bedroom all day. Doing small things like yoga, going for a long walk … I’m trying my best to do that.”
Liam’s sister Nicola also posted her own birthday tribute on Friday, revealing that the last time she saw her brother was on a bowling outing for his 31st birthday.
“If I had known that would be the last time I’d see you, I would have said so much more,” she wrote. “I wish I could step into a time machine and relive that night and hug you tighter, capture your smile and voice, ask more questions, and write it all down so I’d never forget. I hope you’re happy, at peace, and know how deeply you are loved. I miss you every single day, and I don’t think there will ever be a day that I don’t.”
She concluded, “So today, on your birthday, I want to wish you the happiest heavenly birthday. Wherever you are, I hope you’re celebrating and hopefully you’ve scored a few strikes too. Love you always.”
Us Weekly reported in November 2024 that Payne’s family and friends — including Cassidy — were joined by his former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson as he was laid to rest in Amersham, England.
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