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More than 100,000 people are expected to turn out for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Glendale, Arizona today.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance will address the crowd, along with several other big names from the worlds of politics and media.
And of course, Charlie’s widow, Erika Kirk, will be the guest of honor.
Erika Kirk opens up about husband’s murder
Erika commented on her husband’s death less than 48 hours after he was shot and killed during a speaking engagement in Utah.
But today, the New York Times published her first in-depth interview since the murder.
The 36-year-old mother of two revealed that she wears the St. Michael icon that medics tore from Charlie’s body as they attempted to stop the bleeding.
The medal is still stained with his blood, and Erika says she wears it as a reminder of her husband’s mission.
Erika also revealed that the sheriff who spoke with her after Charlie’s death urged her not to view the body. She insisted on doing so, however.
“With all due respect, I want to see what they did to my husband,” she said.
Erika recalls that she kissed her husband one final time. She describes his “semi-open eyes” and “Mona Lisa-like half-smile” as if “he’d died happy.”
“Like Jesus rescued him. The bullet came, he blinked, and he was in heaven,” she tells the Times.
Erika Kirk says she won’t push for death penalty for husband’s killer
Erika also told the Times that she is not actively pushing for the death penalty for her husband’s shooter.
“I’ll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this,” Erika said.
“I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: ‘Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?’ And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?” she added.
A 22-year-old Utah native named Tyler Robinson has been arrested for Charlie Kirk’s murder.
Robinson has reportedly refused to speak with investigators, and his trial date has not yet been set.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.