The late One Direction singer tragically fell to his death aged 31 two weeks ago, falling from the balcony of his third floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The star died after suffering multiple traumas leading to an “internal and external haemorrhage”. But hours before his death, the Teardrops singer took time out of his day to consider other people before himself, in true Liam style.
Over the years, the Wolverhampton-born musician was known for his love of helping others, whether that be volunteering at a food bank or donating large sums to help those less fortunate. One of the last people Liam helped was 28-year-old Jack Stage 4 B Cell Lymphoma.
Currently, Jack, a former cook is unable to work due to his treatment and condition which has saw him out of pocket. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Jack admits that after his first symptom, he believed it to be an injury following a workout that would resolve itself. “Eventually, my neck and arm swelled to about twice their normal size and I went to get it checked out,” he commented.
Initially going with the idea of his condition being the result of a workout, Jack had a CT scan and biopsy taken which rocked his world. Jack said: “Going into the doctor with one idea in my head and leaving with a cancer diagnosis was definitely strange, I think I was in shock at first. Ultimately I just accepted it, because in the end there was nothing I could do about it, it was out of my hands.”
Described by those around him as “kind-hearted, gentle, and compassionate,” Jack admits that spending days or weeks in hospital undergoing chemotherapy treatment and other procedures can be “extremely isolating”. “I’m definitely at war with boredom and anxiety most of the time,” he reflected. He went on to add: “Some days I don’t even have the energy to watch T.V. or look at my phone. However, on my good days it has given me a lot of time to read and reflect. Recently, I’ve been writing and recording a lot of music to pass the time.”
So far, a GoFundMe page for Jack has raised an eye watering £26.3K of his £77.6k goal. This is something he never anticipated, admitting he’s not used to being at the centre of attention. “It’s been a lot, but I’m extremely grateful for anyone who has reached out with kind words, donations, or both,” he said.
While some have donated hundreds to help Jack overcome the condition, one person in particular took time to donate £2.3k. That, was Liam Payne. Hours before his tragic passing, Liam spent thousands on GoFundMe, helping those less fortunate than himself. But Jack initially had doubts as to whether it was a “prank” or somebody donating under a false name to preserve their anonymity. This, however, changed after Liam’s death. “I thought it was a prank or someone donating under a false name in the interest of preserving their own anonymity, until reports started coming out about Liam’s acts of kindness during his final days.”
