Crystal Charles
Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, delivered a tearful address on Friday, September 12, honoring her late husband and thanking first responders for their efforts to save his life after he was fatally shot on a Utah university campus.
Speaking in a livestream from Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Arizona, Mrs. Kirk stood beside her husband’s empty chair used during podcast recordings. She quoted the Bible and reflected on Charlie Kirk’s devotion to President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, the United States, and their two young children.
“My husband’s voice will remain,” she pledged during the emotional broadcast.
Kirk, 31, was shot on Wednesday during an open-air speaking event in Orem, Utah. His suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, was arrested on Thursday night after surrendering to authorities.
The livestream began with several minutes of silence, framing the empty chair before Mrs. Kirk spoke. She whispered a silent prayer before expressing gratitude to first responders, her husband’s staff, and the White House.
“Mr. President, my husband loved you. And he knew that you loved him too,” she said. She also thanked Vance and his wife Usha for accompanying the casket back to Arizona.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that every day,” Mrs. Kirk added.
Addressing “evil-doers,” she warned: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry… If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea what you just unleashed across this entire country and this world.”
Mrs. Kirk said her husband’s campus tour would continue throughout the autumn, and that his podcast would also carry on. She spoke to their one-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, acknowledging the difficulty of explaining their father’s sudden death.
“Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a work trip with Jesus,” she said, addressing her daughter.
Erika Kirk, 36, a former Miss Arizona USA winner and businesswoman, met her husband in 2018. The couple became engaged in 2020 and married less than a year later. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Bible studies, hosts a podcast on Biblical leadership, runs a ministry program, acts, models, and has a faith-based clothing line. The family does not publish images of their children’s faces on social media.
Charlie Kirk, a polarizing figure in American politics, was recognized as a rising force in conservatism, particularly among young voters. He played a key role in mobilizing support for Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign and was a staunch advocate for gun rights, anti-abortion policies, and conservative social values. His rhetoric, while energizing his supporters, drew criticism from liberal groups and advocates for marginalized communities.
