The whole world is mourning Liam Payne — but obviously it’s so much worse for his closest loved ones. And that includes his ex and the child they share.
Cheryl Cole has not said much since the father of her son’s shocking death. It was important to her in her only public statement thus far to remind everyone Liam was more than a pop star — he was “a human being.” She wrote:
“Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
She was also fuming at some of the more rude and intrusive comments and headlines she’s seen — especially thinking that Bear may grow up and see them some day.
Related: Liam Said He Left All His Money To Bear
But a source has come forward to offer insight into just how tough this loss is for Cheryl. Simon Cowell‘s brother Tony Cowell told Closer magazine he knows Liam’s death has been “so difficult” for the singer. In fact, he said a lot more:
“I know Liam never stopped loving her and Bear. It’s going to be so difficult for her. I can’t imagine her pain.”
Wow. What a statement. It was obvious how much Liam doted on his son. But he and Cheryl had split up so long ago! The One Direction and Girls Aloud members started dating in 2016 but split two years later, in the summer of 2018. That means they’d been exes three times as long as they were ever together. To hear he still loved her…
Obviously they were tied together forever by the beautiful child they brought into the world. Is Tony just talking about Cheryl’s importance to him as a coparent? Or did he never get over it? She famously broke up with him, as he later joked about — but we could tell it really broke his heart. Was she his “one that got away”?
Tony also spoke about how his brother is handling the loss. He also brought up something Simon had mentioned in his tribute — the recent get-together with Liam, just to chat. Clearly it meant a lot to him. Tony said:
“We are devastated. I feel for Simon, too. He only recently met with Liam a few months ago, when Liam took Bear to see him at his house in the Cotswolds, and Bear played with his son, Eric.”
Tony said it has helped to see all the love from the fans:
“It’s been moving to see this outpouring of grief around the world for Liam. I want to remember him as a beautiful young man, a normal kid trying to battle his demons.”
It will be impossible not to remember him that way now. 31… the prime of his life. We’re so heartbroken thinking he’ll never get to see Bear grow up, whatever his relationship with Cheryl. Just so sad…
[Image via WENN/Liam Payne/Instagram.]
