CHARLIE Kirk’s grieving widow told thousands of mourners she forgives the man who assassinated her husband.
A distraught Erika Kirk broke down in tears in front of mourners as she took to the stage at her husband’s memorial in Glendale, Arizona.
Erika struggled to get through her emotional tribute to her husband, breaking down in tears several times[/caption]
The distraught widow wiped away tears as she paid tribute to her late husband and forgave her his killer[/caption]
An estimated 100,000 people showed up to mourn Kirk at the stadium in Glendale, Arizona[/caption]
The tragedy of the loss hit home hard as Erika addressed the thousands assembled at the packed stadium.
Seeing his family up on stage – who have been cruelly robbed of a husband and a father – brought a tear to the crowd’s eye.
Dressed in a white blazer and matching trousers, Erika thanked attendees for travelling from across the globe to celebrate her late husband.
“Thank you to people from all over the world who came to celebrate my Charlie,” she said.
She told mourners she was living through a “heartache I never knew existed” as she delivered her moving tribute.
Remembering the tragic day of her husband’s assassination, Erika said: “On the afternoon of September 10th, I arrived at a Utah hospital to do the unthinkable: To look directly at my husband’s murdered body.
“I saw the wound that ended his life.”
But she stunned mourners saying she forgave her late husband’s killer.
“I forgive him,” she said, breaking down in tears.
“The answer to hate is not hate, the answer we know from the gospel is love and always love.”
“After Charlie’s assassination, we didn’t see violence, we didn’t see rioting, we didn’t see revolution.
“Instead, we saw what my husband always prayed he would see in this country. We saw revival [of Christian faith].”
Erika added: “I will miss him so much.”
The heartbroken widow would end her emotional speech by speaking directly to her late husband in a touching moment.
I was at the Charlie Kirk memorial
There wasn’t a dry eye in the stadium when Charlie’s widow Erika spoke about her love for the husband she lost.
We had already been confronted with a picture of her and Charlie at the doors of the stadium but hearing her speak made it hit home.
Seeing his family up on stage – who have been cruelly robbed of a husband and a father – brought a tear to the crowd’s eye.
One lady said being a part of it was special as she got to witness how loved Charlie was. The mood shifted from defiance when JD Vance was speaking to one of tenderness and sadness.
Those who were cheering at other speeches and chanting ‘USA’ fell silent when Erika spoke.
A hush fell when Trump came on stage. His speech is more personal than most presidential speeches revealing how close the pair really were. Aides say he had a lot of input in writing the speech.
She said: “I love you Charlie, baby. I will make you so proud.”
Erika was followed by President Donald Trump who got up on stage to address the crowds, welcomed to the podium with chants of “USA, USA!”
The President described Kirk as a “devoted husband, father and son, Christian” who was “murdered by a cold-blooded monster for speaking reason and common sense.
Trump would go on to say Charlie “Brought more good to this world in 31 years than most people bring in a lifetime.”
An estimated 100,000 mourners arrived to mourn for the conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The 63,000-seat stadium was overwhelmed by the crowds of people turning out to show their support for his bereaved family.
The service started 11am local time, following a morning of worship songs played for the crowd, speakers included Tulsi Gabbard, Tucker Carlson, Marco Rubio, with Vice President JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr also addressing the crowd.
Mourners ditched the traditional black outfits worn at memorial services, favouring patriotic red, white and blue attire instead.
Signs, pins and bracelets were handed out in Kirk’s honour with the sign carrying a drawing of the late activist.
The signs also read: “Here I am Lord, send me” with thousands of mourners holding them high and proud throughout the emotional ceremony.
Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10.
Attendees at the event wore patriotic red, white and blue to honour Charlie[/caption]
President Donald Trump would take to the stage shortly after Erika Kirk[/caption]
Mourners were given signs with a drawing of Charlie on them reading ‘Here I am lord, send me’[/caption]
