Charlie Kirk’s widow Erika has said she forgives the man accused of killing her husband, as she paid tribute to the right-wing presenter at his funeral in Texas
The widow of Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk, delivered a poignant yet resolute tribute to her late husband, during which she extended forgiveness to his killer.
Erika spoke of her husband’s desire “wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life”.
She then touched upon Kirk’s mission to assist troubled young men, and expressed her forgiveness towards Kirk’s alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson.
“I forgive him,” Erika declared, prompting applause from the crowd. “I forgive him because it’s what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.
“The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love, love for our enemies.”, reports the Mirror US.
This followed revelations about the current relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk – after the pair appeared to set aside their feud at the memorial.
Erika then went on to pledge to uphold his legacy following his assassination, which sent shockwaves through America’s right-wing community.
The 36 year old mother of two recounted her visit to him in hospital, but also found solace in the knowledge that he did not suffer.
She stated that her husband “died with incomplete work, but not with unfinished business,” emphasising that his primary mission had been his resolve to rejuvenate the American family.
Addressing the male attendees, she urged them to live by his principles.
She asserted: “Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your slave. She is your helper. You are not rivals. You are one flesh, working together for the glory of God.”
The bereaved wife affirmed that her plea was a direct continuation of her husband’s life’s work.
“Charlie’s greatest cause was the family. He believed that true manhood meant loving and protecting your wife and children, not abandoning them. That work must go on,” she added.
Describing the immediate wake of the killing, she disclosed that the day following the shooting she was travelling on Air Force Two with the Second Lady, Usha Vance.
She confessed to Mrs Vance that she worried she wouldn’t be able to continue. “Honestly, I do not know how I am going to get through this,” she said.
The reply, she told mourners, provided her with the fortitude to persevere.
“Things are crazy. Kids are not cooperating. Toys are flying everywhere, and everyone’s screaming. And you think to yourself, ‘I cannot wait for this flight to land.’ And it’s 15 minutes before you land. And she told me, ‘You will get through these 15 minutes and the next 15 minutes after that.’ Usha, I don’t think you realised it then, but those words were exactly what I needed to hear.”
The murder has already been characterised by Republican leaders as an assault on their movement itself.
Thousands of supporters have assembled at vigils nationwide, repeating Kirk’s appeals for a conservative resurgence and vowing to advance his work.
Senior party figures have been swift to position Erika as the natural successor to that mission. Associates portray her as composed, resolute, and committed to ensuring that her husband’s death doesn’t undermine the political enterprise he established.
For the Conservative core, her words are perceived not just as a personal outpouring of sorrow but also as a call to arms during a time of crisis.
#Charlie #Kirks #widow #Erika #delivers #emotional #message #forgives #alleged #killer
