Widow of Charlie Kirk breaks silence: ‘No idea what you unleashed’

Article content

Erika Kirk has promised to continue her husband’s conservative movement, warning his opponents: “You have no idea what you have unleashed.”

Article content

“The evil-doers for my husband’s assassination have no idea what they have done,” Erika told more than 3.5 million viewers in a livestream shared on the YouTube page of Turning Point USA, the political action group her husband founded in 2012 as a teenager that emerged as one of the most powerful conservative movements in America.

Article content

Article content

“They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith and of God’s love,” she said from the studio where her husband produced The Charlie Kirk Show. “They should all know this. If you thought my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you have unleashed across this country and this world … You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife.”

Article content

The mother of two promised that “no one will ever forget my husband’s name.”

“To everyone listening tonight across America, the movement my husband built will not die. It won’t, I refuse to let that happen … All of us will refuse to let that happen,” Erika said. 

The CEO and founder of a nonprofit (Everyday Heroes Like You), Erika also tearfully revealed how she broke the news of Charlie’s death to her 3-year-old daughter.

“When I got home last night, our daughter just ran into my arms … and she said, ‘Mommy, I missed you.’ I said, ‘I missed you too, baby.’ She goes, ‘Where’s daddy?’ What do you tell a 3-year-old? She’s three. I said, ‘Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget,” Erika said.

Article content

Article content

The former beauty queen also shared images of her by her husband’s casket in an emotional Instagram post.

“The world is evil. But our Savior. Our Lord. Our God. Не…Не is so good. I will never have the words. Ever,” Erika wrote alongside a carousel of photos.

“The sound of this widow weeping echoes throughout this world like a battle cry. I have no idea what any of this means. But baby I know you do and so does our Lord. They have no idea what they just ignited within this wife. If they thought my husband’s mission was big now…you have no idea. You. All of you. Will never. Ever. Forget my husband Charlie Kirk I’ll make sure of it.”

Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, a close ally of the MAGA movement who joined Kirk in campaigning for U.S. President Donald Trump last fall, also spoke out on the conservative activist’s death.

Article content

“I am worried about anarchy and civil war… but maybe that’s my own anger being projected. I don’t feel settled. I am sad. And angry. We could all be living in joy but so many decided to be victims and offended by everything,” Patrick wrote in a message shared to her Instagram Stories. 

“Even god. Because that’s what @charliekirk1776 fought for. For his word to be heard and considered as a better way to live. And he was killed for it. We haven’t progressed as humans. And this is frightening.”

In a follow-up post, Patrick begged for spiritual guidance going forward.

“It’s in times like these that we have to look at humanity and ask why these things happen and then the most important question…..what do we do next? I don’t have the answer. But I know it’s not fight fire with fire, even though anger is a dominant emotion. We need an answer that will change the world forever,” she captioned an image of her and Kirk.

Article content

She also credited Kirk with spurring on her interest in politics and vowed, like Erika, to continue his work.

“Where Charlie left off, we will continue. With all that we have,” Patrick said.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Meanwhile, comedian Jay Leno called Kirk’s assassination the “death of free speech.”

“It’s not a random shooting. I mean, it’s the death of free speech, to think that you are so illiterate and so stupid you can’t answer verbally and you have to shoot somebody with a gun to ‘win the argument,’” Leno said during an appearance on the Tim Conway Jr. Show (per Fox News). 

“This is a political assassination of a man who I didn’t necessarily agree with, but I certainly enjoyed listening to. Because, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that, OK?’ And I didn’t have to agree on everything,” Leno said. “I mean, we’re at a point in this country where, if you don’t agree with everybody on everything, you take out a gun, and you shoot them?”

Article content

Leno said Kirk encouraged listeners to think about all sides to an issue.

“A lot of times, when you watch something by Charlie Kirk, it might enforce your own beliefs more or it might change your mind,” he said. “But at least it gets you thinking. At least you’re thinking about what’s going on.”

During his last stop on his I’m The Problem tour Saturday night in Edmonton, singer Morgan Wallen also paid tribute to Kirk, according to clips posted to social media.

“I’m not gonna say a whole bunch on this, but this song right here has been hitting me harder in the last couple days,” Wallen said in Edmonton before performing I’m A Little Crazy. “And I just wanted to let Erika Kirk know that me and my family are sending prayers her way.”

Article content

Kirk, 31, was shot last Wednesday during a speech at Utah Valley University.

His suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested by police after his father turned him into authorities.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox credited assistance from the alleged killer’s family with helping secure a speedy arrest.

“On the evening of September 11th, a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend, who contacted the Washington County sheriff’s office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident,” Cox said.

mdaniell@postmedia.com

Article content