Thousands of mourners gathered Sunday for a public memorial organized by Turning Point USA and titled “Building a Legacy Remembering Charlie Kirk” at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Speaking through tears, Kirk's wife, Erika, leaned on her Christian values and admitted to the crowd that — while difficult — she has forgiven her husband's assassin.
"My husband Charlie, he wanted to save young men just like the one who took his life," she said. "... On the cross, our savior said, 'Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.' That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us."
"Charlie's life was a turning point for this country — it was a miracle," Kirk's wife added. "Let that miracle — it was Charlie's life — be your turning point as well. Choose prayer, choose courage, choose beauty, choose adventure, choose family, choose a life of faith. Most importantly, choose Christ. I love you Charlie, baby."
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Several notable public figures were also in attendance, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and many others.
"The lesson for Charlie's life is that you should never underestimate what one person can do with a good heart, a righteous cause, a cheerful spirit, and the will to fight, fight fight," President Trump said. "... Charlie Kirk started with only an idea to change minds on college campuses, and instead he ended up with a far greater achievement: changing history. He changed history. Today, Charlie Kirk rests in glory in heaven for all eternity."
"Charlie's murder was not just an attack on one man, one movement; it was an attack on our entire nation. That was a horrible attack on the United States of America," President Trump added. "It was an assault on our most sacred liberties and God-given rights. The gun was pointed at him, but the bullet was aimed at all of us."
Vice President JD Vance echoed the sentiment about Kirk's legacy.
"For Charlie, we will never shrink, we will never cower, and we will never falter, even when staring down the barrel of a gun," Vance said. "For Charlie, we will remember that it is better to stand on our feet defending the United States of America and defending the truth than it is to die on our knees. My friends, for Charlie, we must remember that he is a hero to the United States of America and he is a martyr for the Christian faith. May our heavenly Father give us the courage to live as Charlie lived."
State Farm Stadium — where the memorial was held — has a capacity of more than 63,000 people and workers — at one point — had to begin turning some people away to a nearby overflow area. Attendees were also met with TSA-level screenings, no bags were allowed in, and the Department of Homeland Security designated the event as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1, meaning it had the same level of security as the Super Bowl or Boston Marathon.
All for @charliekirk11. pic.twitter.com/qDIQkDUMtD
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) September 21, 2025
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Kirk, a conservative political influencer and long-time ally of President Trump, was shot and killed earlier this month while speaking at a Utah Valley University event in Orem, Utah. He was 31 years old.
Kirk was the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a right-wing political nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campuses across the U.S. — making him a major figure and voice within the young conservative movement, with millions of followers across his various social media platforms.
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Kirk often engaged in spirited and sometimes testy debates with people from different sides of the political aisle. He was recently invited as one of the first guests on California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's podcast, with the two discussing a wide range of political topics and their different views on the direction of the country. He was also front-and-center at the inauguration of President Donald Trump earlier this year and has frequently appeared alongside Republican politicians at rallies and fundraising events.
Kirk's stop at Utah Valley University was part of his "The American Comeback Tour," where he engaged students through political debates under tents branded with phrases like "Prove Me Wrong." Kirk's events attracted hundreds of attendees while his social media videos of interactions with participants have garnered tens of millions of views online.
The events, however, were both widely attended and widely protested by people who disagreed with his takes on hot-button issues like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration and the Black Lives Matter movement.
