Kirk, 31, was assassinated Sept. 10 while at a speaking engagement in Utah. Services are planned today at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
The service is being held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The arena holds about 63,000 people and tens of thousands of people are believed to be outside the facility. Lines to enter the arena began forming yesterday.
What did Erika Kirk say?
In an emotional speech, Kirk’s widow told the attendees doctors told her her husband died without knowing he’d been shot.
“There was no pain. There was no fear. Then he blinked and saw his savior in paradise,” Erika Kirk said.
“In these past 11 days, through all the pain…I found such comfort in the words of our Lord’s prayer ‘thy will be done,” she said.
Kirk said in the days after her husband’s death, the country didn’t see violence or revolution.
“We saw revival,” she said.
“While Charlie died way too early, he was ready to go,” she said. “Charlie died with incomplete work but not with unfinished business.”
Erika Kirk also spoke about the importance of “true manhood.”
“Be the spiritual leader of your home,” she urged. “Your wife is not your servant. Your wife is not your employee. Your wife is not your sleeve. She is your helper. You are one flesh woven together for the glory of God.”
Speaking of the man charged with killing her husband, Kirk said, “I forgive him.”
Speakers and artists leading worship
Turning Point, the organization founded by Kirk and now led by his widow, Erika, released a list of speakers. They are:
- Erika Kirk
- President Donald Trump
- Vice President JD Vance
- White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
- United States Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
- Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son
- Tucker Carlson, formerly of Fox News and now host of the “Tucker Carlson Show”
- Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff
- Sergio Gor, U.S. Ambassador to India nominee
- Dr. Ben Carson, former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in first Trump administration
Trump is expected to be the final speaker, with only Erika Kirk and Vance preceding him.
Other high-profile people in attendance include Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and White House aides Stephen Miller.
Elon Musk, billionaire businessman and former Trump advisor, is also present. Musk was pictured sitting next to the president during the event.
Several prominent Christian musicians will be among those performing. That list includes Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes and Cody Carnes.
Early speakers include many who worked with Kirk at his organization Turning Point USA.
What time does the service start?
Programming began at 8 a.m. local time (10 a.m. CT) with the service starting at 11 a.m. local time (1 p.m. CT).
