Conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial service took place at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Sunday, September 21st, attracting a large crowd of young people who showed up as early as 2 a.m. to pay their respects to the conservative youth leader.
Among the attendees at the memorial were many young individuals who resonated with Kirk’s ideology. Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA at the age of 18, has been dedicated to promoting conservative values on American college campuses. Turning Point USA is the largest and most influential conservative youth organization in the United States.
According to CNN, attendee Karla Soto Perez expressed that “He (Charlie) is willing to engage in dialogue. I feel like we’ve lost the willingness to engage with those who have different viewpoints… and Charlie is really making an effort to bridge that gap.”
Perez, a student at Grand Canyon University, set off from campus at 2 a.m. to attend the memorial service at the stadium.
She added, “We are all human, created in the image of God, and each of us has something to say, which is very important.” This statement encapsulates Kirk’s faith-based principles.
Her friend, Emily Blumenschein, felt compelled to attend the memorial service to show her support for Kirk’s ideals. She stated, “I feel that for our generation, especially with all that he has done for us, we should at least show up to support, to show that we support Christian faith and truth, and stand by him and his family.”
Luke Bravo from Fresno, California, expressed the profound impact Kirk’s assassination had on him. “It feels like a Christian brother of mine being shot. I feel like I lost a family member, truly heartbreaking,” he said.
Bravo shared that he was particularly eager to hear from Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk. Following Kirk’s assassination, Erika was appointed as the CEO of Turning Point USA, carrying on her husband’s legacy. She is expected to play a more significant role in conservative politics.
Jose Santiago, spokesperson for the Glendale Police Department in Arizona, mentioned that over 200,000 people had registered to attend Sunday’s memorial service on the Turning Point USA website, doubling the previous estimate of 100,000 attendees.