Erika Kirk says she forgives the man accused of killing her husband : NPR

Erika Kirk stood on the stage at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and for a long, quiet moment, the grief in her voice hung heavy in the air. Her hands trembled, her eyes full of tears. Everyone could see she was speaking from a place that’d been torn open. Her husband Charlie — a man she loved with everything — was gone, murdered in front of so many. Yet, there she was, showing a grace that most of us can’t even imagine.

Charlie Kirk was shot dead on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. The shock of his death sent a wave through conservative circles, across campus debate fans, through media outlets, through millions of people who had followed his life and work. Since then, everyone was waiting to hear what Erika would say, how she would hold it together. What she did was not just speak — she laid her soul bare.

She talked about Charlie’s mission: it wasn’t about being loud for the sake of loud. It was about guiding young men who felt lost — no direction, no purpose, no solid belief. She said Charlie believed in them: the ones tangled up in anger, the ones who felt they might not matter. And even in the worst tragedy of all — the young man accused of killing him — Erika extended forgiveness. She said, “That young man — I forgive him.” She quoted Christ: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Her voice broke. The audience was silent, then erupted. Many cried.

She described seeing Charlie’s body. She saw the wound that ended his life. She saw a faint, peaceful smile on his lips — something she said was a merciful gift, proof that maybe he didn’t suffer. She admitted how horrifying the sights were, how much shock and horror gripped her heart. But she also held to the faith she and Charlie shared, the belief in mercy and God’s love even in a moment that defies understanding.

Charlie Kirk's Wife Erika Forgives His Killer at Memorial Service

And then she made a promise. She will lead Turning Point USA now. She will continue what Charlie began. She will try, through her pain, to make something beautiful from what feels irreparably broken. She said the work will go on — with love, faith, purpose. Not revenge. Not hate. She said, “The answer to hate is not hate.”

The crowd was massive. State Farm Stadium is no small venue, but on that day, it was full. Reports say 70,000 people filled the stadium, with many more in overflow areas. Some estimates put the total in‑person attendance well over 90,000, possibly even over 100,000 when including outside gathering zones. Tens of thousands more watched through livestreams and TV. People came from many places, wearing red, white, blue, signs, some crying, many moved. This was no normal memorial. It felt like something historic.

Vice President J.D. Vance spoke. Other leaders showed up. Politicians, faith leaders, supporters. Donald Trump spoke too — but in his speech he admitted he disagreed with Erika’s willingness to forgive. He made remarks of opposition, of critique. He said things about how Charlie had been daring and brave and bold. The contrast could not have been sharper: Erika’s message of love, forgiveness, compassion, versus the more usual political anger, the calls for blame. Some people cheered. Others were uncomfortable. But no one could ignore it.

There was this tiny “secret” she shared — something small, yet so human. She had seen one grey hair on Charlie she never told him about. In a way, that grey hair became a symbol. A small, imperfect thing. But also a thing that made love real. She remembered the little things: the way he talked about his submission to what he believed God asked of him; his desire always to do more than just his own will. To serve. To lead. To comfort.

Charlie Kirk memorial service: Erika emotionally 'forgives' husband's  killer at memorial service | The Independent

The most painful moment: when she saw Charlie lying in the hospital. Advised not to, but she went. She stared at his body, at the wound, at the horror. And yet, amid that horror, she saw something peaceful. She said she believed he didn’t suffer in his last moments. She believed that the pain eased. She believed that his face carried a smile, even in death. In that moment she whispered goodbye.

Afterwards, when the applause quieted, Erika held her head high. She didn’t look for vengeance. She looked for meaning. She offered forgiveness. Faith. Hope. She spoke of Charlie’s legacy: guiding young men, helping people who felt doubt, helping people who felt abandoned. And she declared that she, Erika, now carries that mission. She will continue, because she believes the world needs it.

This is what made that evening heavier than sadness, and yet lighter than despair. People left crying. Some left with determination. Others left with questions. But many left believing something they hadn’t believed before: that forgiveness is possible. That love can shine in even the darkest moments. That grief, though brutal, doesn’t have to turn into hatred.

Erika Kirk stood there and showed the world something rare. She didn’t just mourn. She challenged. She raised the bar of what walking through tragedy could look like. She stepped into a role that hurts her more than words can say — but she did so not broken, maybe more alive in some ways. Not because the pain is less, but because she chose hope.