Erika Kirk, wife of the late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, has spoken publicly for the first time since her husband was shot and killed earlier this week.
Speaking through a YouTube livestream on Friday night, the former Miss Arizona described Charlie as a devoted husband and father, and a man whose courage and faith will be remembered.
“Two days ago, my husband Charlie went home to see the face of his savior and his God,” she said. “Charlie always said that when he was gone, he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith.”
Erika began by thanking law enforcement, first responders, and members of the Turning Point USA team who were with her husband on the day of the shooting. She also expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Vance’s wife, Usha, for their support.
With tears in her eyes, she addressed those accused of carrying out the attack. “The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” she said. “If you thought my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea what you have just unleashed on this country.”
She added that her grief would become “a battle cry,” vowing never to let her husband’s legacy fade. “No one will ever forget my husband’s name and I will make sure of it. My husband’s mission will never end.”
During the emotional address, Erika also recalled breaking the news to their three-year-old daughter. She told the child that her father had gone on “a work trip with Jesus.” The couple are also parents to a one-year-old son.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was the founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization. He was shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University as part of his “American Comeback Tour,” which had planned stops at several U.S. colleges. Erika assured supporters that the tour would continue in his honor.
Tributes have poured in from across the country. Former President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
Erika and Charlie celebrated the anniversary of their first date earlier this month. The pair met in 2018, got engaged in December 2020, and married in Arizona in May 2021.
Erika ended her livestream by promising to keep her husband’s mission alive. “I will never let your legacy die. I can’t wait to see you again, one day,” she said, before thanking Charlie’s supporters and signing off with, “God bless.”
