The night following the unexpected passing of singer Liam Payne, most famously known as a One Direction band member, Pace students hosted a celebration of life and candlelight vigil to remember him. 

Gathered around the solar tree in the heart of campus, the candlelight lit pictures of the musician. A poster that read “RIP Liam” and a song lyric from One Direction’s song “Walking in the Wind” was available for Directioners, the name for the fans, to write a message to Payne.  

The fans played music from the band that was one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, topping the charts worldwide. The attendees shared their favorite memories of One Direction and reminisced on the days when they were young and followed the members throughout their time in the spotlight. 

Payne tragically passed away on Wednesday, October 16 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. While he was staying at the Casa Sur hotel, he fell from the balcony of the third floor in the room that he was staying in. Before his death, there were many frantic phone calls surrounding a guest who reportedly was taking drugs and alcohol. Payne had struggled with drug abuse and alcoholism in the past. As of a week later, his autopsy reports several harmful drugs in his system.

Payne’s career started with the rest of the One Direction members (Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson) on The X-Factor in 2010, placing third in the contest. Throughout the decade, the band exploded in popularity and quickly became one of the most successful music groups ever. They sold up to 70 million records and were quickly integrated into pop culture. After the band split up in 2016, each member went on a solo career. Payne had a song recorded with the rapper Quavo which reached 1 billion streams on Spotify and released an album in 2019 titled LP1. His final song, “Teardrops,” was released earlier in the year to critical acclaim. 

For many, being a Directioner meant more than just liking the music. One Direction had a major influence on their lives. 

“Well I always grew up with one direction in the background, but over the last 7-9 years I got to know them as a band and as individuals and got to love them on a deeper level,” said junior Makayla Morris who attended the vigil. 

“Being part of the 1D [One Direction] fandom is like being part of a big family and you can see the love that everyone has for the boys, so when Liam passed away we had lost someone very dear and special to our family.” Morris continued.

“They were an escape for me,” said Alannah Matulock, a main player in putting the vigil together, “They helped me turn bad memories into great ones. They always put a smile on my face.”

“Having the vigil the other night was very moving and special to me because we were all going through the same feelings about Liam’s passing and it felt nice to know that there were other people there who understood what I was feeling too. We all love and miss Liam so so much and we will always remember him for the star he was.” Morris finished.

The Pace University Counseling Center is a supportive resource for anyone who feels impacted by loss or grief. You can locate them in the Pleasantville Administration Building on the 2nd floor or call them at (914) 773-3710. Their office hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. You can call the Counseling Center 24/7 to connect with a Counselor.