Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, makes first public remarks 'Charlie loved America'

ABC News

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Transcript

00:00The widow of Charlie Kirk, Erica Kirk, is about to speak here in just a few moments.

00:05This will be her first public statement since her husband's death.

00:08She is 36 years old, mother to their two children, a one-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.

00:13She's also the CEO of Proclaim Streetwear, that's a faith-based clothing company,

00:19and founder of two non-profit organizations.

00:22In 2019, she started a bi-weekly podcast, Midweek Rise Up,

00:26that's a devotional podcast series focused on the prayer experience.

00:30Let's take a listen.

00:33Charlie Kirk is my husband.

00:37I first want to thank the local, state, and federal law enforcement

00:42who worked tirelessly to capture my husband's assassin so that he can be brought to justice.

00:49I want to thank the first responders who struggled heroically.

00:55Heroically?

00:56To save Charles' life.

01:00And the police who acted bravely to make sure that there were no other victims on that terrible afternoon.

01:09I want to thank the officers who have protected our Turning Point USA family these past two days.

01:16And I want to thank the Turning Point USA board, the COO, Justin Strife,

01:22and my husband's chief of staff, the amazing Mikey McCoy,

01:28for all their work in these terrible days to be the stability for our family

01:35and for the wider Turning Point USA family as well.

01:38My heart is with every one of my husband's employees who lost a friend and a mentor.

01:46I want to thank the staffers of this, his amazing Charlie Kirk show,

01:53who helped him broadcast from this studio, this,

01:59this chair.

02:02Every day he loved it.

02:05He loved what he did.

02:08I want to thank the millions of people who have shown their love for Charlie here in Phoenix,

02:15across America and worldwide.

02:18I want to thank my husband's dear friend, Vice President Vance and his phenomenal wife, Usha,

02:29for their love and support.

02:33You guys honored my husband so well, bringing him home.

02:40You both are tremendous.

02:44I want to thank President Trump and his incredible family for the same.

02:51Mr. President,

02:52my husband loved you and he knew that you loved him too.

03:04He did.

03:06Your friendship was amazing.

03:10You supported him so well, as did he for you.

03:17Two days ago, my husband, Charlie, went to see the face of his savior.

03:22And his God.

03:26Charlie always said that when he was gone, he,

03:29he wanted to be remembered for his courage and for his faith.

03:36And one of the final conversations that he had on this earth,

03:41my husband witnessed for his Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

03:45Now and for all eternity, he will stand at his savior's side,

03:56wearing the glorious crown of a martyr.

03:58Charlie loved, loved life.

04:05He loved his life.

04:07He loved America.

04:11He loved nature, which helps him always bring him closer to God.

04:15He loved the Chicago Cubs.

04:21And my goodness, did he love the Oregon ducks.

04:25Want me to say go ducks.

04:26So I have to, since they play on Saturday.

04:29So go ducks.

04:29But most of all, Charlie loved his children.

04:39And he loved me with all of his heart.

04:44And I knew that.

04:45Every day I knew that.

04:47He made sure I knew that every day.

04:49Every day he would ask me, how can I serve you better?

04:53How can I be a better husband?

04:54How can I be a better father?

04:56Every day.

04:57Every day.

04:58He was such a good man.

05:00He still is a good man.

05:03He was the perfect father.

05:04He was the perfect husband.

05:09Charlie always believed that God's design for marriage and the family was absolutely amazing.

05:14And it is.

05:16It is.

05:16And it was the greatest joy of his life.

05:21And over and over, he would tell all these young people to come and find their future spouse,

05:30become wives and husbands and parents.

05:33And the reason why is because he wanted you all to experience what he had and still has.

05:41He wanted everyone to bring heaven into this earth through love and joy that comes from raising a family.

05:49It's beautiful.

05:52Charlie always said that if he ever ran for office, I know a lot of you asked if he ever was going to,

05:57but privately he told me if he ever did run for office, that his top priority would be

06:05to revive the American family.

06:09That was his priority.

06:10One of Charlie's favorite Bible verses was Ephesians 5, verse 25.

06:20Husbands, love your wives

06:25As Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, my husband laid down his life for me,

06:38for our nation, for our children.

06:44He showed the ultimate and true covenantal love.

06:48I will never ever have the words to describe the loss that I feel in my heart.

06:58I honestly have no idea what any of this means.

07:02I know that God does, but I don't.

07:06But Charlie, baby, I know you do too.

07:09I know you do.

07:11So does our Lord.

07:12And our world is filled with evil.

07:19But our God, you guys, our God is so good.

07:25So incredibly good.

07:29And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good.

07:34For those who are called according to his purpose.

07:37Already, I have seen the worldwide outpouring of love for my husband.

07:46I've heard the testimonies from people my husband inspired to get married,

07:51to start families, to seek out a relationship with God.

07:55It's the most important, most important one of all.

08:03The evildoers

08:04the evildoers responsible for my husband's assassination,

08:10have no idea what they have done.

08:15They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism,

08:21faith, and of God's merciful love.

08:26But they should all know this.

08:27If you thought that my husband's mission was powerful before,

08:35you have no idea.

08:39You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country.

08:45In this world, you have no idea.

08:47You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.

08:57The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.

09:02To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die.

09:14It won't.

09:15I refuse to let that happen.

09:18It will not die.

09:19All of us will refuse to let that happen.

09:25No one will ever forget my husband's name and I will make sure of it.

09:32It will become stronger,

09:37bolder, louder, and greater than ever.

09:39My husband's mission will not end, not even for a moment.

09:47And one of Charlie's greatest talents was his ability,

09:50this phenomenal ability to choose great people to follow him.

09:55He could always find the ones who could handle any setback.

09:59And it's almost like he knew he just, he could see it in you.

10:03Even when you couldn't see it in yourself, he just knew.

10:05He knew you could handle it.

10:08You thought you only had 5% left and he knew you at 15.

10:12He knew you were ready to go that extra mile even when you didn't.

10:17He always challenged people around him to work harder and to be better.

10:22He never gave up.

10:24And I love knowing that one of his, one of his mottos was never surrender.

10:31So I want to tell you that, that we'll never surrender.

10:35We never will, ever, ever.

10:42Our campus tour this fall will continue.

10:46There will be even more tours in the years to come.

10:49Build a website you love with Wix.

10:56For your words.

10:57Proud of.

11:07Will go on.

11:10And in a world filled with chaos, doubt and uncertainty, my husband's voice will remain.

11:15And it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever.

11:18And his wisdom will endure.

11:22My favorite, my favorite too, but my husband's favorite word in the English language

11:30was earn.

11:35He would call all of you to be people of action who earn the future America deserves.

11:41So to all of the young people who felt inspired by my husband's faith in hard work.

11:48All of you already know what Charlie would want you to do.

11:54You know.

11:56You know.

11:59If you're in high school or if you're in college, go find your local Turning Point USA chapter.

12:05Join it.

12:06Stay involved.

12:09He wants you to make a difference.

12:12And you can.

12:14You can.

12:16The movement's not going anywhere.

12:18And it will only grow stronger when you join it.

12:23If there isn't a chapter, you can't find one, then start one.

12:26There is no excuse.

12:28You can start one.

12:30And as my husband used to say in this room every single day, if you want to get involved,

12:35the best way you can do that is going to tpusa.com.

12:38That's what he would say every day from this chair.

12:40Every single day.

12:42I watched his show every day.

12:43And he would always say, if you want to get involved, go to tpusa.com.

12:49If you're a pastor, join our movement at tpusafaith.

12:53And if you're a parent, I highly recommend that you come to America Fest in December.

13:00Sign up right now for that because we would love to see you.

13:03I would love to see you.

13:05Charlie would.

13:06He'll be there.

13:07He'll be there in spirit.

13:10Bring your kids.

13:11Bring your family.

13:13But most important of all, if you aren't a member of a church, I beg you to join one.

13:19A Bible-believing church.

13:21Our battle is not simply a political one above all.

13:25It is spiritual.

13:28It is spiritual.

13:28The spiritual warfare is palpable.

13:32Charlie loved his Savior with all of his heart.

13:37And he wanted every one of you to know him too.

13:40He wanted everyone to know that if they confess, if they confess the Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead, then they will be saved.

13:52Hear me when I say this, nobody is ever too young to know the gospel.

14:01Nobody.

14:02Nobody is ever too young to get involved with saving this beautiful country, this country my husband loved and still loves.

14:11And nobody is ever too old either.

14:15There's no age limit.

14:17I know my husband is still here.

14:24He's watching over us.

14:29I don't remember the last time I slept.

14:34I couldn't sleep last night.

14:36And

14:40Charlie, baby.

14:42Charlie, I promise

14:44I will never let your legacy die, baby.

14:47I won't.

14:47I promise I'll make Turning Point USA the biggest thing that this nation has ever seen.

14:55I promise.

14:57Charlie, I love you.

15:00I love you, baby.

15:03Rest in the arms of our Lord

15:06as he blankets you with the words I know your heart always

15:10strives to hear.

15:13Well done, my good and faithful servant.

15:17When I got home last night.

15:26Gigi, our daughter, just ran into my arms.

15:28And I talked to her and she said, Mommy, I missed you.

15:35I said, I miss you too, baby.

15:37She goes, where's daddy?

15:38Daddy, what do you tell a three-year-old?

15:42She's three.

15:46I said, baby, daddy loves you so much.

15:50Don't you worry.

15:50He's on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget.

15:55And my goodness, am I so humbled to witness

16:04Charlie, you alongside Jesus right now

16:07doing what you always want to do, baby.

16:12Making heaven crowded, right?

16:13That's what it's all about.

16:16Making heaven crowded.

16:17I can't wait to see you again one day.

16:27Thank you all again who love my husband.

16:29Who supported him.

16:32Who wrote him an email every single day during his radio show.

16:35He read all of them, all of them.

16:45God bless you all.

16:49And may God bless America.

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