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Liam Payne's girlfriend tearfully spoke about the star's tragic passing in her first TV interview since his death.
The 25-year-old influencer appeared on U.K. morning show Lorraine on Wednesday (March 5), revealing that she still catches herself referring to the "Teardrops" hitmaker in the present tense to cope with the harsh reality of his death.
"I find myself talking about him so much in the present tense … I don't even feel the need to correct myself because that's part of my healing journey. I'm still working on accepting the fact that he's not here anymore, so it's hard for me to refer to him in the past tense. When I do refer to him in the past tense, it almost stings that little bit more. I never would have thought that I would be talking about him in the past tense, so it's definitely really hard to accept."
Cassidy navigated her way through a series of extremely dark days in the months following Payne's death by leaning on the support of friends and family, as well as engaging in wellness activities like yoga and taking her and Liam's dog for morning walks, rather than doom scrolling or reminiscing old pictures.
"I am trying to do my best. I have my better days, I have my harder days. But I'm surrounded by such a great support system."
According to People, the pair dated for two years before Liam's fatal fall from his third-story balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16, 2024. Cassidy traveled around Argentina with the One Direction alum for a few weeks before deciding to return home to Florida days before his death.
She concluded her statement by assuring that she would never forget about Liam and referred to the standout's presence as "comforting and warming," promising that she would always love him.
Watch the full interview below and read, Liam Payne's Girlfriend Kate Cassidy Opens Up About Singer's Final Days for more.