Liam Payne, who rose to fame as a member of the ‘One Direction’ band, is no more. He died on Wednesday (October 16) after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. He was in an on-and-off relationship with Maya Henry, his ex-fiancee, between 2019 and 2022.
Who Is Maya Henry?
Henry was raised in Texas by her parents, attorney Thomas J. Henry and Azteca Henry. She is an influencer and model who frequently showcases her outfits and travel adventures on Instagram.
In May 2024, she released her debut book, Looking Forward, and is currently pursuing a writing degree at New York University.
Liam Payne, Maya Henry Made It Official In 2019
Payne and Henry were first rumored to be dating in August 2018, shortly after his breakup with ex-girlfriend Cheryl in July. However, they didn’t officially acknowledge their relationship until September 2019.
In August 2020, the couple was seen in London, with Henry displaying a large diamond ring on her finger. Shortly thereafter, Payne’s representative confirmed to PEOPLE that they were engaged.
“We’re just really happy,” Payne shared during an appearance on Good Morning America after the engagement announcement. “This past week has been filled with milestones for me—I’ve celebrated my birthday and my son started school for the first time, so it feels like a lot of new beginnings, which is wonderful!”
They Broke Up Twice
In June 2021, Payne joined The Diary Of a CEO podcast and revealed his breakup with Henry.
He said, “More than anything, I’m really disappointed in myself for continuing to hurt others. That frustrates me. I’ve struggled with relationships. I recognize my recurring patterns, and I’ve come to realize that I need to focus on improving myself before entering into another relationship. I think
Despite this, the couple reunited in March 2022, confirming their relationship status. “She’s still my fiancée,” Payne stated. “We’re together and very happy—possibly the happiest we’ve ever been. We went through a lot during COVID, but I feel we’ve emerged from it even stronger.”
However, just a few months later, in May 2022, Payne and Henry ended their relationship for good.
Neither addressed the breakup publicly, but Henry did respond to a photo of Payne with another woman, saying, “Please stop sending me these pictures of my fiancé with someone else. This isn’t me, and it’s tough enough to deal with this without seeing it. Enough already.”
When Maya Henry Spoke About Her Relationship With Liam Payne
Shortly after the split, Maya Henry came out with a novel, which was “inspired by true events”. While Henry didn’t disclose how closely her novel reflects her relationship with Payne, she openly discussed their connection during the book’s promotion.
“When I shared the story of how we met, people would often say, ‘It’s like a fairytale, like a movie,’” she recalled of their early days. “I felt it was important to incorporate that into the book, because it seemed too unreal not to.”
In the book,, Mallory (the protagonist) faces several instances of domestic abuse, including verbal attacks and physical violence when Oliver (a music sensation) pursues her. The character also finds herself pregnant, but Oliver warns her that he will leave if she decides to keep the child.
Mallory chooses to have an abortion but experiences severe complications, leading to a hospital visit for hemorrhaging—a situation Henry has encountered in her own life.
“What I experienced was very similar to what Mallory goes through in the story. I definitely faced complications and had to go to the hospital alone,” she shared with PEOPLE about her own medical abortion.
She continued, “If I had my way, I wouldn’t have gone through it. But if I had chosen differently, I would have lost the person I loved. There were definitely tough conversations, but in hindsight, I believe things happen for a reason.”
Reflecting on her relationship with Payne, Henry noted, “I became so desensitized to everything happening that I thought, ‘This is my relationship, and this is how it will be.’ Once you escape it, you realize, ‘Oh my gosh, what was I thinking?’”
Coming back to Liam Payne, his untimely death is a big loss for his fans and the music fraternity as a whole.
