Erika Kirk reflected on what she called an “unimaginable” year as she observed the first anniversary of the assassination of her husband, Charlie Kirk, in an emotional late-night message.
Posting to Instagram Stories late Thursday, Erika shared footage of herself walking alongside the couple’s two young children and expressed gratitude to those who have supported the family through their grief.
“To every person who has loved us, prayed for us, and carried our children and me before the Lord, not only today, but every day this past year… From the deepest place in my heart, thank you,” Erika wrote.
She continued: “God, in his mercy, has used so many of you to steady us through the unimaginable. I will never have the words to adequately express what your love and prayers have meant to our family.
“My Charlie… our babies and myself love you with everything we have.
“We will carry you with us in our hearts forever and we thank God for every day He gave us with you.
“Thank you for being the love of my life.”
Erika also honored Charlie Kirk with a photograph from their wedding day, capturing the pair holding hands at the altar. She accompanied the image with the brief tribute: “… until Heaven.”
Erika Kirk shared an emotional message about enduring the “unimaginable” on the first anniversary of her husband Charlie’s assassination.
She also posted a wedding-day image of herself and the conservative activist holding hands at the altar, captioned: “… until Heaven.”
Erika Kirk took over as CEO of her husband’s organization Turning Point USA following his assassination in September 2025
Erika took over as CEO of her husband’s organization Turning Point USA following his assassination in September 2025.
At the time, she made a flurry of media appearances and hosted events across the nation.
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In recent times, however, Erika has kept a far lower profile.
On the one-year anniversary of his assassination on Thursday, she avoided a memorial event at Utah Valley University – the site where Charlie was killed – and said she planned to mark the somber moment in private.
‘Erika will mark the anniversary of Charlie’s death privately with her and Charlie’s two young children, their family and close friends,’ a family spokesperson told the Daily Mail.
‘She is so grateful for the continued outpouring of prayers, love and support as she and her family remember and honor Charlie as the beloved husband and father he was.’
She had previously attended President Donald Trump’s speech at the Republican convention in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, where the commander-in-chief spoke about Charlie’s legacy.
He described the shock ‘millions of Americans’ felt upon learning of Charlie’s death and bemoaned that some ‘sick people’ celebrated it.
‘I just want to say, we love you Charlie,’ Trump said, calling the shooting ‘just terrible.’
Erika seen with President Donald Trump as he posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk in October 2025
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of her husband’s assassination, Erika shared her ‘reflections on grief’ on Monday in a statement.
‘For all the things that divide us, grief is a universal language and a defining part of the human experience. At some point, every one of us will love someone we have to say an earthly goodbye to,’ she wrote.
‘I am still learning how to walk through each day carrying the grief I feel for my Charlie.
‘Some days I have a vague understanding of God’s plan, others I don’t, but I trust Him completely. He is my only strength. I also know grief can be lonely, and sometimes hearing someone else put words to it makes us feel a little less alone.
‘I wrote this for anyone who has lost someone they love, anyone sitting in grief now, and anyone who someday will. Suffering does not get the final word. Only God does.’