AJ McLean just revealed he texted his co-star Liam Payne, concerned about his well-being… the day before he died.
Speaking to The Los Angeles Times on Friday, the Backstreet Boys singer, who just worked with Liam on a Netflix reality show called Building the Band, recalled how he and the One Direction alum talked almost every day… until a sudden two-week silent period last month. That’s when AJ decided to shoot Liam a text, wondering:
“Hey man, are you good?”
That message was sent the day before Liam passed away. It’s unclear if, aside from the silence, AJ had a reason to be concerned about Liam or if he was just trying to be a good friend. Either way, the timing is pretty eerie now.
Related: Liam Payne’s Death Hit Kelly Osbourne ‘Hard’
Unfortunately, AJ never got a reply. The next day, on October 16, the 31-year-old — under the influence of a dangerous combination of drugs and alcohol — fell from his fourth-story hotel balcony in Argentina. It’s unclear if it was intentional or if Liam was even conscious at the time; an investigation into his death is ongoing.
Liam and AJ had connected over their pasts in boy bands while working on the music competition series, which sadly may never be aired now. Interestingly, on the day of his death, Liam had been texting Nicole Scherzinger, with whom they also co-starred (with Kelly Rowland rounding out the foursome). Seems like they all were looking out for him!
Once becoming friendly on the series, which wrapped production in August, AJ and Liam spoke frequently via WhatsApp and connected over their addiction struggles, AJ explained:
“[We spoke] candidly about sobriety, sharing stories and one-upping each other. We could laugh about it all. Because if you’re still there to talk about it, that means you’re moving in a good direction.”
Gosh. Just heartbreaking to know he didn’t reply. There’s no telling why, but it’s so sad looking back — especially in the context of AJ’s quote. The 46-year-old continued:
“I can torture my brain about ‘Why didn’t he respond?’ But I get it. I just hope people remember him the way he was — a massive heart and a massive talent.”
AJ said he felt like a “very older brother” to the Strip That Down artist and wanted to be there to support him.
There have been rumors Liam was using during the show, but AJ made clear he doesn’t believe that. He added:
“He was an absolute light, such an old soul. But you could tell you were talking to someone who had seen some s**t, who had not lived a normal life.”
Liam had been open about his mental health struggles and addiction issues. After he died, several sources claimed things were so bad at one point, he overdosed several times. So sad.
Like many who knew him or just loved him from a distance, AJ is struggling to come to terms with the fact that we may never know what happened in the pop star’s final moments:
“I feel like there will never be a definitive answer as to why this happened. That’s the most painful thing to sit with. Why now? Why this way? But there’s no rhyme or reason when you’re hurting and looking for escape.”
That’s what makes addiction such a tough thing. Our hearts go out to AJ and all those mourning Liam’s loss. We hope they all have the support they need as they deal with this shocking tragedy.
If you or someone you know is experiencing substance abuse, help is available. Consider checking out the resources SAMHSA provides at https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline or check out StartYourRecovery.org
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