On Sunday, September 21, the memorial service for Charlie Kirk, the renowned conservative activist and founder of the grassroots organization Turning Point USA, was held at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, took the stage in the afternoon to speak, stating that “what Charlie desired most was not to fulfill his own wishes, but to follow God’s will.”
Erika began by expressing her mixed emotions, first feeling relieved to see that “God has accepted my husband’s selfless dedication and called him to His side.” She mentioned finding solace in the Lord’s Prayer like never before and shared how she saw “God’s love shine through on the day my husband was murdered.”
She admitted that the past eleven days had been heart-wrenching for her.
Recalling the events of September 10, Erika emotionally described her visit to the hospital in Utah to face the unimaginable task of seeing her husband’s body after the heinous act, witnessing the wound that took his life. Despite the overwhelming grief, she found gratitude deep in her heart, seeing a faint smile on Charlie’s lips, revealing the immense grace that God bestowed even in the midst of tragedy.
She recounted, “As I saw that smile, I knew Charlie was without pain, fear, or agony. Even in that split second of being shot, he was doing what he loved – debating, advocating for the Gospel and truth on campus, and glimpsing the Savior in paradise.”
She expressed comfort in seeing God’s love continue to manifest in the days that followed.
During her speech, she mentioned the assistance and consolation she received from Vice President JD Vance’s wife, saying, “I held Usha Vance’s hand and confessed: I don’t know how to get through this ordeal.”
Reflecting on the days following Charlie’s assassination, she lamented, “God’s mercy and love have been tangible. In the ten days after Charlie’s death, He revealed this grace to me: we didn’t witness riots or revolutions; on the contrary, we witnessed what my husband had prayed for all along – a revival of faith.”
She was relieved to see that “over the past week, some have opened the Bible for the first time in a decade, some have prayed for the first time since childhood, and some have stepped into a church for the first time in their lives.”
Erika reminisced about Charlie’s daily practices in his life. She recalled, “Charlie was passionate about journaling, using it to record significant moments and wisdom that shaped him.”
In one of his diary entries, Charlie wrote, “Every decision leaves a mark in the depths of your soul, which one day you will look back on and realize it was the most critical decision in your life, affecting each one of you, all who have become believers.”
He also spoke of the responsibility of pastors, urging them to nurture souls and not to neglect this duty, to water the seeds of faith, protect them, and help them grow.
Erika believed that Charlie had foreseen his persecution and ours, yet he willingly bore the cross until the end of his life.
In her speech, she vowed, “I will deeply miss him. This sense of loss is heavy because our marriage and family were so beautiful.”
She remembered how Charlie’s lifelong mission was to revive American families, always eagerly sharing God’s vision for marriage with young people, emphasizing that anyone can have a happy marriage if they dare to practice it.
She said, “Charlie had a profound understanding of the mission God gave Christian husbands, setting an example for men worldwide on what true manliness means.”
He called on men to “be strong and courageous, love their wives and lead them, love their children and protect them, guard the souls of their whole family, remembering that wives are not servants, employees, or slaves.”
Erika proudly declared, “I was Charlie’s confidante, the closest and most reliable advisor, and his best friend, pouring my love and strength into him to become a better husband.”
Charlie believed this was the beauty of God’s design for marriage, his mission to guide the unmarried, those feeling lost and without direction, faith, or purpose in life, consumed by hatred, anger, and resentment.
He hoped to help them find belonging through Turning Point USA, guiding them to see a better path and life within reach as they set foot on campuses.
Erika expressed her deep honor in becoming the new CEO of Turning Point USA, vowing not to fail in her mission to lead people away from earthly and eternal hell and guide young people toward the truth.
She stated, “Charlie’s enthusiasm is my enthusiasm, his mission is my mission. The chapters will flourish, thousands of new branches will emerge, adding thousands of pastors and congregants, campus activities will continue, debates and dialogues will never cease.”
As she concluded her speech, she vowed, “I love you all, and I will make you proud! May God bless each and every one of you, may God bless America.”