Charlie Kirk, 36, was fatally shot in the neck on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University, marking the tragic end of his campus tour. The Turning Point USA founder’s death shocked supporters and drew thousands to his Arizona memorial, where politicians including Donald Trump Jr. and JD Vance paid tribute.

At the funeral, Erika Kirk shared memories of her husband and expressed her Christian faith. She recalled seeing his body in the hospital: “I saw the wound that ended his life… Even in death, I could see the man that I love.” She added that he appeared to have a “faintest smile,” which reassured her that “Charlie didn’t suffer.”

Speaking about forgiveness, Erika said: “My husband, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life… That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and it is what Charlie would do.”

The suspected shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was turned in by a family member and charged with multiple counts, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors confirmed they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Erika closed by reminding mourners: “The answer to hate is not hate… The answer we know from the gospel is love.”