 "Charlie Kirk (R) and and his wife Erika Lane Frantzve (L) on stage during the Turning Point USA Inaugural-Eve Ball at the Salamander Hotel on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. File Photo/AFP")
Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, has made her first public remarks since the death of her husband, who was shot dead during an event in Utah on Wednesday. In a livestream, standing beside the Maga activist’s empty chair, she quoted the Bible and thanked first responders for trying to save her husband’s life.
The former beauty queen also mentioned her husband’s love for United States President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, America, and the couple’s two children.
Erika vowed, “My husband’s voice will remain”.
“Mr President, my husband loved you. And he knew that you loved him too,” she said tearfully, before thanking the VP and his wife, Usha Vance.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that everyday,” she added.
Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder and Trump’s close ally, was shot dead while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University during his American comeback tour. A gunman opened fire in the middle of his address, and although security rushed him off stage, Kirk was pronounced dead shortly after.
Authorities have arrested Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old man from Utah, as the shooting suspect.
But who is Erika Kirk, Charlie’s wife and partner through the highs and lows of his public life, now facing an unimaginable loss?
Impact Shorts
More ShortsErika, Charlie met in 2018
Charlie Kirk and Erika Frantzve’s love story began in 2018, when the two first crossed paths. For Charlie, the connection was almost instant; he later admitted he knew “almost immediately” that she was the one.
Their very first date took place in New York City, a memory Erika, 36, shared in a heartfelt Instagram post. “Five years ago today, we sat inside Bills Burgers in NYC deep in conversation and banter over theology, philosophy, and politics and at the end, you paused, looked at me and said, ‘I’m going to date you,’” she wrote in September 2023.
The relationship quickly deepened. By December 2020, the couple were engaged, and a few months later, in May 2021, they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony.
Marking the day, Erika posted photos along with a touching note: “To the man that I am immeasurably blessed to be able to call my husband. My CJK. I love you.”
In April this year, the pair appeared together on an episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, where they spoke candidly about marriage and family life.
“Keep your faith, obviously first, and try to identify any fleshy problems that you might be having,” Charlie told listeners, offering his advice to young couples.
The Kirks went on to build a family of their own. They have two young children, a daughter who turned three in August, and a son who celebrated his first birthday in May. The couple have, however, not shared their names or faces.
Family was at the centre of Charlie’s world. In a Turning Point USA video from June 2024, he even joked, “You’re gonna laugh, but you should absolutely interview for your spouse.” He often said that marrying Erika was his greatest decision in life. “Second to accepting Jesus, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made,” Kirk remarked in May while celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary.
Erika’s work and ventures
Erika has built a life and identity of her own. A former Miss Arizona USA and college basketball player, she is now pursuing a doctorate in Biblical Studies at Liberty University, according to her official biography.
Her LinkedIn shows that Erika works as a real estate agent with The Corcoran Group in New York City.
She describes herself as a “multidimensional philanthropist.” Erika is also the founder of a nonprofit called Everyday Heroes Like You, dedicated to community empowerment.
On her website, she says she is a “social entrepreneur, passionate ministry leader, and woman of deep faith whose life has been shaped by her global experiences and unwavering commitment to purpose.”
Erika was often seen alongside her husband at public events and speaking engagements, but she has also carved out her own path. She is the founder of Proclaim, a faith-based clothing brand, and runs the Midweek Rise Up podcast.
She wrote on her website that, above all, she cherishes being Charlie Kirk’s wife and the mother of his two kids. Her love for her husband was visible in her posts, where she called him fearless, bold, and the “force” behind the next generation.
Kirk often referred to his wife, Erika, and their children as examples of the conservative ideals he espoused.
Erika Kirk’s warning
In the hours after her husband’s killing, Erika turned to scripture.
On X, she shared the verse, “Psalm 46:1 — God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
She had also posted Bible verses on the two days prior, though it remains unclear if the messages were scheduled in advance.
A visibly grieving Erika was spotted holding US Second Lady Usha Vance’s hand as the latter and her husband, Vice President JD Vance, escorted the widow and her husband’s casket from Air Force Two to Arizona.
Addressing the livestream from Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Arizona, the widow first looked upwards and spoke a silent prayer.
Referring to “evil-doers,” Kirk said: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.
“They should all know this: If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world.”
With inputs from agencies