Liam Payne's ex-fiancée was 'drowning' while trying to save him from addiction
Liam Payne's ex-fiancée Maya Henry released a statement four months after his tragic death. In her statement, she revealed the suffering she went through while dating Liam
Liam Payne's ex-fiancée Maya Henry released a statement four months after his tragic death. In her statement, she revealed the suffering she went through while dating LiamLiam Payne's ex-fiancée was 'drowning' while trying to save him from addiction
Liam Payne's ex-fiancée Maya Henry revealed the painful struggles she endured while dating the One Direction singer.
The model dated the Strip That Down musician on and off between 2018 and 2022. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, with Maya opening up about what she went through in her first interview since his death in October 2024. Liam died when he fell from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Maya said she loved him "very much" but went on to detail how his drug addictions made her put herself in 'unsafe and harmful' situations in order to try and help him. She said she was "drowning in the process" of trying to save her fiancé from his drug addictions.
After revealing it was his 'drug and addictions that tore them apart', she said: "While I loved him deeply, he did things that hurt me in ways I’ll never fully understand, and he continued to hurt me years after we broke up. On drugs, he became someone unrecognizable — so different from his sober self."
She 'tried to be there' for him as she told herself she 'could fix things' and 'he would change' (
Image:
Getty Images for Elton John AIDS Foundation)
Maya told Rolling Stone she remained 'hopeful' that each incident would end up being a 'wake-up call' for him, "but it never was". She explained how she "tried to be there" for him as she told herself she "could fix things" and "he would change". However, she ended up in "unsafe and harmful" situations because of it and ignored "every red flag" because she wanted to help him.
"No matter how much I tried to save him, I was drowning in the process," she continued. The couple got engaged in 2020, but the cracks started forming in 2022, leading to Maya standing by him "in his darkest moments".
Liam passed away following a tragic 40 foot fall from a hotel balcony in October last year, with the star having made no secret of his battle with alcohol and drug use in the years proceeding his death. He even sought to break the taboo surrounding the issue, when he disclosed he had attended a 100 day rehab in 2023, something which showed his clear commitment to battling his addiction.
At the time of his death, following his injuries from the fall, a combination of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescribed antidepressant had all been found in his bloodstream, according to an ensuing toxicology report.
Liam had opened up about his addiction before his tragic death. Speaking on his YouTube channel back in 2023, the singer said he had spent 100 days in rehab and had "more of a grip on life and everything that was getting away from me." Liam also confessed he had become someone he didn't recognise before checking into the facility.
"I just needed to take a little bit of time out for myself actually because I kind of became somebody who I didn't really recognize anymore and I'm sure you guys didn't either," he said. "I was in bad shape up until that point and I was really happy to kind of put a stopper to life and work."
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
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