Cheryl has vowed to ensure her son Bear is fully aware of his late father Liam Payne’s life and career as he grows up, according to a source.
The former One Direction star tragically passed away after a fall from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last week at the age of 31.
Despite the youngster being kept out of the public eye, Liam was a loving father to seven year old Bear, whom he had with his ex-partner Cheryl in 2017. The Girls Aloud singer has expressed her grief, describing this period as an “indescribably painful time”.
A source told New Idea Magazine: “Her family’s rallying around her so she can be strong for Bear.”
They added: “Bear’s a mini-Liam – Cheryl’s going to make sure he knows everything about his dad as he gets older.”
Alongside her heartfelt tribute on Instagram, the 41-year-old posted a touching photo of the late singer in bed with Bear, epitomising the image of a devoted dad. Cheryl’s post drew an outpouring of support from her 3.4 million followers, with condolences coming from celebrities like Amanda Holden, Olly Murs, and Susanna Reid, reports the Mirror.
Following their amicable split two years after coupling up, Liam and Cheryl stayed friends, with the ‘Strip That Down’ artist frequently lauding his ex as “the world’s best mum” in interviews.
Liam had frequently expressed his joy about being a father and his son, whose identity has been kept private for protection. Reflecting on becoming a dad at 23, he said: “I put my time in with my son and I also like to speak to people who are new dads also because you don’t know what’s coming and it’s different.”
He continued: “And, you know, to be honest with you, it ruined a relationship for me at that point but for all the right reasons, and it’s like you think kids are a blank page [when] they’re born. When Bear was first born I was so excited for him to be born, but I thought, what if I don’t love him enough? It was such a worry for me.”
In an interview on The Impaulsive podcast, Liam mentioned that although his son lived with Cheryl full-time while he pursued his career, he made sure to be present for him.
At the time of his passing, he was in a two-year relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy.
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