Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, delivered a poignant message of forgiveness during her husband’s memorial service held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. As she wiped away tears, Kirk expressed her forgiveness for the man accused of taking her husband’s life, stating, “That man, that young man … I forgive him.” This heartfelt sentiment was met with applause from the audience, a testament to the emotional weight of her words.
Kirk elaborated on her choice to forgive, drawing inspiration from her faith. “I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do,” she said. “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.” Her remarks came following the murder charges filed against Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old accused of shooting Charlie Kirk during a debate at Utah Valley University. According to prosecutors, Robinson had confided to his roommate about the incident, describing his actions as a response to what he perceived as “hatred.”
In a deeply moving account, Erika Kirk recalled the traumatic moment she saw her husband’s body at the hospital. “I saw the wound that ended his life … I felt shock, I felt horror and a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed,” she shared. Yet, amidst her grief, she found solace in the memory of her husband. “I saw the single gray hair on the side of his head, which I never told him about. I also saw in his lips the faintest smile. It revealed to me a great mercy from God in this tragedy. When I saw that, it told me Charlie didn’t suffer.”
Speaking to a crowd of tens of thousands, Kirk reflected on the outpouring of love and support following her husband’s death. She noted the absence of violence or chaos in the wake of the tragedy, contrasting the situation with the upheaval often seen in society. “Instead we saw what my husband always prayed he would see in this country: We saw revival. We saw people open a Bible for the first time in a decade,” she urged attendees to continue this revival by engaging with their faith. “Pray again, read the Bible again, go to church next Sunday, and the Sunday after that and break free from the temptations and shackles of this world,” she encouraged.
Kirk’s message of forgiveness and faith stood in stark contrast to the sentiments expressed by Vice President Vance and President Trump, who spoke before her. Vance described the presence of “evil” in society, cautioning against a superficial approach to addressing it, while Trump made clear his disdain for his opponents.
Erika Kirk also emphasized the importance of family, stating that the “greatest cause in Charlie’s life was trying to revive the American family.” She urged young people to embrace God’s vision for marriage, highlighting the significance of mutual support and leadership within families. “Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God,” she declared.
In her speech, Kirk compared her husband to a martyr who had fulfilled his purpose in life, despite his untimely death. “He was ready to die, he left this world without regrets because he had done 100% of what he wanted to do every day,” she reflected. “He died with incomplete work but not with unfinished business.”
Following her husband’s passing, Erika Kirk was appointed as the new CEO of Turning Point USA, the right-wing youth organization founded by Charlie Kirk. Her leadership in this role marks a continuation of her husband’s legacy, as she seeks to inspire and mobilize young people around conservative values.
