In what might have been one of the most incredible displays of courage and character in American politics in living memory, Charlie Kirk’s widow, the incredible Erika Kirk, stood up to give a fearless and powerful memorial speech for him in the wake of his passing. She not only shared sweet memories of him and accounts of his faith, but vowed that his movement would live on and grow stronger despite his assassination.
For reference, Mrs. Kirk’s speech came on Friday, September 12, and was her first public statement after his slaying in cold blood by a leftist shooter in Utah. In an incredible display of poise and inner strength, she neither backed down nor melted down in her speech, instead describing what must and will be done with the legacy her husband built.
Beginning that portion of her speech, after describing her beloved, departed husband in heartwarming detail, Mrs. Kirk said, “The evildoers responsible for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done. They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith, and of God’s merciful love.”
Continuing, she vowed that his movement and mission will grow rather than recede in the wake of his murder, that the left unleashed a force it has never before seen. She said, “They should all know this: If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you had no idea. You had no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country, in this world. You have no idea.”
Vowing that she will echo his mission around the world as her battle cry and will refuse to let it die, she said, “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife. The cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry. To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t. I refuse to let that happen. It will not die. All of us will refuse to let that happen. No one will ever forget my husband’s name, and I will make sure of it.”
Continuing, she vowed that his mission will grow even stronger and bolder after his murder, saying, “It will become stronger, bolder, louder, and greater than ever. My husband’s mission will not end, not even for a moment. And one of Charlie’s greatest talents was his ability, this phenomenal ability, to choose great people to follow him. He could always find the ones who could handle any setback.:
Noting that her husband was a bottomless reserve of strength and that we all must learn how to fight with similar vigor, she added, “And it’s almost like he knew—he just, he could see it in you. Even when you couldn’t see it in yourself, he just knew. He knew you could handle it. You thought you only had five percent left, and he knew you had fifteen. He knew you were ready to go that extra mile even when you didn’t.”
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She then said that we like Charlie must never surrender, writing, “He always challenged people around him to work harder and to be better. He never gave up. And I love knowing that one of his mottos was ‘Never surrender.’ So I wanna tell you that—that will never surrender. We never will. Ever. Ever.”
And, noting that TPUSA will continue its operations even without Charlie, she said, “Our campus tour this fall will continue. There will be even more tours in the years to come. America Fest here in Phoenix this December will go on. It will be greater than ever. The radio and podcast show that he was so proud of will go on. And in a world filled with chaos, doubt, and uncertainty, my husband’s voice will remain, and it will ring out louder and more clearly than ever, and his wisdom will endure.”
Watch her here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video