Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, said during her eulogy for her husband that she forgave the suspected assassin.
PHOENIX—Political commentator Charlie Kirk, founder and leader of Turning Point USA, was remembered for his faith and courage at a memorial service attended by thousands.
The daylong memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, a suburb outside Phoenix, featured live music, as well as comments about Kirk from his widow, Erika Kirk, President Donald Trump, friends and colleagues in politics, administration officials, and others.
The stadium—expanded to 73,000 seats—wasn’t able to keep up with attendance, as expected, and an overflow area had been set up outside the stadium in advance.
The memorial service comes after Kirk on Sept. 10 was assassinated at Utah Valley University, prompting a 33-hour manhunt that resulted in the capture of suspect Tyler Robinson.
In total, 25 people spoke during the event, with Kirk’s faith and courage appearing as a point of emphasis for many.
Kirk’s Widow Forgives Suspected Murderer
Erika Kirk, Kirk’s widow, said during her remarks that she forgave the suspected murderer in the case.
“On the Cross, our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’” said Erika Kirk, who was visibly holding back tears. “That young man—I forgive him.”
She said her husband was motivated by saving the “lost boys of the West,” a reference to the boys who never grow up in “Peter Pan.”
She described these as “the young men who feel like they have no direction, no purpose, no faith, and no reason to live, the men wasting their lives on distractions, and the men consumed with resentment, anger.”
“Charlie wanted to help them,” Erika Kirk said. “He wanted them to have a home with Turning Point USA, and when he went on to campus, he was looking to show them a better path.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life.”
Erika Kirk also said that while her husband “died far too early, he was also ready to die.”
“There was nothing that was too hard or too painful or nothing that he felt like he just didn’t wanna do it,” she said.
“He left this world without regrets. He did 100 percent of what he could every day.”
Speakers Praise Kirk’s Faith, Describe Him as ‘Martyr’
During his life, Kirk was outspoken about his Christian faith, founding Turning Point Faith as a means to reach out to America’s pastors and other faith leaders and get them involved in politics.
Trump said that Kirk had become a martyr after his assassination.
“On that terrible day, Sept. 10, 2025, our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal. He’s a martyr now for American freedom,” the president said.
“I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie Kirk.
“And neither, now, will history. Because while Charlie has been reunited with his creator in heaven, his voice on earth will echo through the generations, and his name will live forever in the eternal chronicle of America’s greatest patriots.”
Trump said that Kirk’s influence had only strengthened in the wake of his assassination and that the political commentator had become “eternal.”
“Charlie is … bigger today than he was two weeks ago,” Trump said. “He’s bigger now than ever before, and he’s eternal.”
Vice President JD Vance, who considered Kirk a close friend and political ally, called Kirk “a martyr for the Christian faith.”
Donald Trump Jr., who described Kirk as “a little brother” to him, recounted an instance of Kirk’s bravery.
He referenced a time when the two were at Michigan State University and were about to take the stage.
“The State Police told us, and I quote, ‘We can no longer guarantee your safety,’ because the left-wing activists … were going crazy,” Trump Jr. said.
He said that Kirk responded: “‘No way. We’re going out there anyway.’”
Trump Jr. also recounted one of the last events of the 2024 presidential campaign.
During an Arizona State University event, someone called in a threat in an effort to keep them off the stage, but they “went out there anyway without fear,” he said
“Charlie led the way,” he said. “His message was clear then, and his message is clear now. We won’t back down. We won’t be intimidated.”
Building TPUSA From the Ground Up
Others described how Kirk built his organization from the ground up after founding it in 2012.
Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of TPUSA, recounted the early days of the nonprofit organization, saying Kirk founded the group to combat rising liberal proclivities in the millennial generation.
Bowyer said he met Kirk in 2014 and the two shared “a vision of what the conservative movement should be.”
He described Kirk as a “grown, 21-year-old man,” who had mail delivered to a detached garage off his parents’ house to assure donors that he was not a kid still living with his parents. His organization had its own address: 217 1/2 Illinois St.
“We worked 24/7, he would tell every supporter of ours. Between me and him, we were a team that was never off the clock,” Bowyer said, recalling times when they stayed up until after 2 a.m. working.
That included “going all over the country like a crazy man” to pursue “any and every possible donor who would take a meeting” so that their “ideas and fixes for the conservative movement could help young people once and for all.”
Political Figures Commemorate Kirk’s Life
Several high-profile political figures spoke at the memorial, commemorating Kirk’s life and impact.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who served as the Hispanic outreach director for Turning Point USA, said she would not be in Congress without Kirk.
“There would be no Congresswoman Luna without Charlie Kirk,” she said during her eulogy.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Kirk waged a “spiritual war” through his organization.
“Over time, he realized, like so many of us have, that this is not a political war. It’s not even a cultural war. It’s a spiritual war: faith and family first,” Hegseth said.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised Kirk’s commitment to open conversation, which Kirk thought was the “only way to heal” the country, Kennedy said.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard described Kirk as “a warrior for truth and for freedom every single day.”
‘Revival’ of Faith
During the event, which featured a variety of live Christian worship music, attendees told The Epoch Times that Kirk’s assassination had ignited “a revival” of their faith.
The congregation gathered in that NFL stadium came from all across the country. Those who spoke to The Epoch Times came from Florida, Colorado, and Pennsylvania.
They told the publication that the gathering was a demonstration of unity and revival.
“It’s the biggest revival of our faith, our family, and our country that I’ve seen in a generation,” Chris Johnson, of Pennsylvania, said. “It’s amazing.”
Speakers, ranging from Kirk’s widow to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, repeated the same sentiment.
Other attendees, including Florida resident Shirley Ross and Colorado resident Lisa Clark, praised the sense of unity at the event.
“This atmosphere is electric,” Ross said. “It’s electric. It’s emotional. You can feel the love, you can feel the unity.”
“I’m a grandmother, and I came for my grandchildren, for healing, and the hope for their future,” Clark said.
Jackson Richman and Jacob Burg contributed to this report.
