The death of Liam Payne was a shock to many, and now, weeks after the news broke, many are sharing stories about him while mourning this tragic loss. This includes Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, who bonded with the former One Direction member about sobriety.

AJ McLean was feeling concerned about his friend Liam Payne a day before his tragic death. The Backstreet Boys singer, 46, texted Payne, “Hey man, are you good?” according to McLean’s recent interview with the Los Angeles Times published on Friday.