Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow and newly appointed CEO and board chair of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), shared what the Kirks’ 3-year-old daughter said to her deceased father on his 32nd birthday.
Charlie cofounded TPUSA at the age of 18 and led the organization until he was fatally shot on Wednesday, Sept. 10, while speaking during his The American Comeback Tour stop at Utah Valley University. Kirk was 31.
Erika paid tribute to her late husband on his birthday for approximately 16 minutes during a Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony, considered the U.S. government’s highest civilian honor. The ceremony was led by President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden of the White House Tuesday (Oct. 14).
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The poised but emotional 36-year-old former Miss Arizona USA (2012) told those in attendance, “Before I close, I’ll share that I asked our daughter what she would like to say to Daddy for his birthday.” Erika continued, “She said, ‘Happy birthday, Daddy. I want to give you a stuffed animal. I want you to eat a cupcake with ice cream. And I want you to go have a birthday surprise. I love you.’”
Erika also shared what their 16-month-old son did for his father’s birthday. She laughed, saying, “And while our son—he’s precious, he can’t yet speak—in classic Kirk family fashion, his actions spoke louder than words and his gift to you, Charlie, and myself, was deciding to become the man of the house and be fully potty-trained at 16 months.”
“Charlie, baby, I know you’re celebrating in heaven today—but gosh, I miss you,” Erika added. “We miss you, and we love you. We promise we’ll make you proud.”
In addition to awarding Charlie the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Trump also declared Oct. 14, Charlie’s birthday, a National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk.
“I call on the American people to assemble on this day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to Charlie’s memory,” Trump’s White House proclamation reads. “I invite the people of our Nation to pray for the advancement of peace, truth, and justice all across our country.”
