Watch heartbreaking new video of Liam Payne being taught Spanish by fans outside hotel hours before tragic balcony fall
The 31-year-old had a big smile on his face as he interacted with supporters in Buenos Aires prior to the tragedy.
A female fan handed him her phone and asked if he would sign the back of it.
Upon realising Liam didn’t have a pen, the woman asked those around her.
It prompted Liam to ask: “How do you say pen in Spanish?”
The group then called out “lapicera”, to which Liam laughed: “I feel like you’re trying to make me say something rude.”
Other footage showed him posing for pictures, comparing tattoos and listening to fan stories.
One fan credited Liam with “saving my life” and grew emotional meeting his hero.
It prompted Liam to give the man a hug, before they compared the matching arrow tattoos on their arms.
In another clip, Liam, who was wearing a checked shirt and graffitied jeans, sang in Spanish to a female fan after she asked if he’d been listening to any local music.
There was also a montage of the smiling pop star meeting and greeting supporters, some of who mirrored his smile while others broke down in tears.
His demeanour in the clips is a far cry from the reports emerging of “erratic behaviour” in the hours before his death.
A 911 call was made by a frantic hotel manager requesting “urgent” assistance before Liam died.
He was staying at Hotel CasaSur in the neighbourhood of Palermo – where crowds of fans flocked to pay their respects as news of the singer’s death spread.
The emergency services were called to the hotel on Wednesday after staff reported an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol”.
The head of reception made two calls, telling a 911 operator in the first: “We have a guest who is destroying everything in his room. We need someone to come.”
He phoned back after the line went dead, repeating his request and claiming: “We need you to send someone urgently because I don’t know if the guest’s life is in danger.
“They must be in a room that has a balcony. And well, we’re a little bit worried he’ll do something, that he’ll put his life at risk.”
Witnesses at the hotel reported Liam smashed his laptop and he had even had to be carried back to his room, according to TMZ.
Cops found Liam dead in the hotel’s inner courtyard at around 5pm local time (9pm UK time) when they arrived.
He suffered 25 injuries, including a fractured skull, and investigators believe he could have been unconscious, or at least partially unconscious, at the time of the fall.
Hotel guests have also shared their interactions with the star just minutes before the fatal fall.
It comes as:
One Direction fans held candlelit vigils outside the hotel
The singer posted on Snapchat just minutes before his death
Rylan Clark and Dermot O’Leary paid tribute to the star
Liam’s ex-fiancée Maya Henry broke her silence after his death
His girlfriend Kate Cassidy posted a message before he died
Harry Styles’ mum paid heartbreaking tribute to the star
The singer was in the city for pal and former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan’s tour.
Liam had shared a post on Snapchat only minutes before his death showing himself with girlfriend Kate Cassidy looking into a mirror.
Tributes have poured in for the singer with celebrities and fans alike sharing their heartbreak.
One Direction issued a joint statement expressing grief.
It reads: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say.
“But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us.
“We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam. – Louis, Zayn, Niall and Harry.”
Harry Styles’ mum shared a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram writing in the caption: “Just a boy…”.
And Liam’s ex-fiancée Maya Henry was ” in shock” in the wake of the tragic news.
