In a recent interview, Erica Kirk shared that she wore a pendant featuring St. Michael’s Archangel, a piece that still holds the blood of her late husband, Charlie, from the day he was killed.
A medic removed a small icon from Kirk’s body while trying to stop the bleeding after he was shot during a Turning Point USA event in Utah on September 10th. Interview The widow is New York Times.
During the interview, she indicated that Charlie had expressed concerns about potentially facing a violent death someday, although he felt secure on campus due to the presence of his security team.
The 36-year-old widow reflected on how both she and those around them had heard suggestions that Charlie could succumb to violence. It seemed he had begun to accept that reality.
On the night before filming, the couple dined with friends from the faith community in the Phoenix area, praying before Kirk’s Campus College Tour. Coverage by the New York Post highlighted their worries about safety, given that some universities had drawn contentious crowds and Kirk had received multiple death threats in 2025. For several months, he was accompanied by a security detail.
At dinner, Erica urged him to wear a bulletproof vest, but he was hesitant. A friend suggested he speak behind bulletproof glass instead.
“Not yet,” he reportedly replied, confident in the security measures in place as they prepared for their event at Utah Valley University.
Erica conveyed what she experienced after the local sheriff encouraged her to see her husband’s body. Charlie had been critically injured by a .30-06 Springfield bullet that lodged in his neck.
“With respect, I want to see what they did to my husband,” she explained. “His eyes were half open; he seemed to be aware, a partial smile like the Mona Lisa.”
Since Charlie’s passing, both mothers have had a sorrowful glimpse into their family dynamic. Erica admitted she couldn’t bring herself to wash the towel he used during his last shower.
“I can’t go into the bedroom; I just can’t sleep there,” she shared.
Recently, Erica was appointed as the new executive by a unanimous vote at Turning Point USA.
During the interview, she distanced herself from the push for the death penalty against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, the suspect.
I asked people, “Do you feel angry at this man? Do you want the death penalty?” Honestly, I told my lawyer, I want the government to handle it. I don’t want that man’s blood on my hands. When I reach heaven, I want to stand before Jesus and explain my choices, especially concerning Charlie.
Additionally, Erica mentioned that President Donald Trump had reached out to her twice since the incident.
“Charlie was like a son to him,” she recalled. “He wanted to comfort me.”
