Erika Kirk gives powerful tribute to late husband Charlie at Ole Miss: 'I slept on his side of the bed'

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI: Erika Kirk walked onto the University of Mississippi stage Wednesday night and delivered a moving, faith-filled speech that left the crowd in awe.

It was her first Turning Point USA campus event since the death of her husband, conservative leader Charlie Kirk. 

Erika Kirk reacts to montage of her late husband

Before Erika took the mic, a montage of Charlie’s work, his speeches, and his devotion to young conservatives played on the screen. 

“It’s hard not to cry after watching,” she admitted. “I haven’t seen that... that video since that day happened.”

“Being on campus right now for me is a spiritual reclaiming of territory,” she told the packed Ole Miss crowd. “There is a lot of symbolism in today. It’s Wednesday, seven weeks. And the more that I am coming to grips with the permanency of this nightmare, the more that I am starting to realize and witness that the enemy, he doesn’t want you.”

“He wants your territory. He wants your influence. And I could just hear Charlie in my heart. I could hear him say, ‘Go reclaim that territory, babe. Go — the battles that God’s love conquers.’ And that’s why I’m here today," the widow continued.

Carrying Charlie Kirk’s legacy

The Ole Miss arena was packed with students, many wearing the same “Freedom” T-shirt Erika wore as she stood behind the podium. “You have no idea how helpful it is to have all of you in my life,” she told them, “because you help me feel even more deeply connected to my husband.”

She recalled how Charlie made it a point at every Turning Point USA event to personally talk to students. “He would ask you what your name is, what you’re studying, what issues are going on on campus,” Erika said. “He wanted you to know he was investing in you: into your chapter, into your school. That was a pulse point for him.” 

Then she urged the crowd to do what Charlie always pushed them to do. “Earn your voice,” she said. “You are the courageous generation. That’s what you are. All of you, Gen Z, you are the courageous generation. Make him proud.”

“I lost my friend. I lost my best friend,” she said. “If you’re nervous about standing up for the truth, the murder of my husband puts into perspective all those fears. My husband never went with the flow. He believed the harder path was always the right one, because comfort doesn’t change the world.”

Erika Kirk reveals she 'slept on his side of the bed'

For the first time, Erika shared a glimpse into her life at home after the tragedy. “It took me a while to even just make it back into our bedroom,” she said. “I used to sprint from the opening door into the bathroom and sprint out. I was not ready to walk into our bedroom yet, and when I was finally able to sleep in our bed for the first time, I slept on his side of the bed.” 

From there, she saw what Charlie saw every morning. The words, “They will be known by the boldness of their faith," were framed on the wall. “He saw that every single morning he woke up,” Erika said. “I didn’t, because I was on the other side, facing the window. But from his side, that’s what he saw first.”

On Charlie’s desk were three handwritten questions he asked himself daily, “What is something I can do for someone today? What is something I can do to add value to the world today? And how can I honor God today?”

“Those were his action points for courage,” Erika said. “Ask yourself those questions every day, and I promise you, you will get courage. What death amplifies even more is that you only get one life. So live like it matters.”

“Love your family fearlessly. Love your spouse fearlessly. Love this country. Defend her and serve our God. And don’t think that it’s someone else’s role to do it. You do it. You do it," she added as the crowd erupted into applause.

“This moment can either be your breaking point or your wake-up call. Essentially, your turning point," she emphasized, before introducing Vice President JD Vance as someone who “understands the fight that we’re up against and can articulate that in a way that transcends race and background.”

“There will never be another Charlie,” Erika concluded. “But I know he’d be proud to see us here tonight.”