‘Happy birthday daddy’: Erika Kirk shares daughter's heartful message for Charlie Kirk in her tearful address | Watch
In an emotional speech, Erika Kirk shared their daughter's heartfelt birthday message to Charlie Kirk, who was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US President Donald Trump.
US President Donald Trump posthumously awarded conservative activist Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday. His wife, Erika Kirk, accepted the award on his behalf. In an emotional speech during the ceremony held at the White House Rose Garden, she shared their daughter's heartfelt birthday message to Charlie.
While reflecting on Charlie Kirk and the legacy he left behind, Erika Kirk revealed that he used to celebrate his birthdays with ice cream. She recalled how difficult it always was to find him a present, as he was not a “materialistic person".
Erika Kirk shares her daughter's message for Charlie Kirk
“Happy birthday, daddy. I want to gift you a stuffed animal. I want you to eat a cupcake with ice cream. And, I want you to go have a birthday surprise. I love you," Erika shared a birthday message from their daughter.
“Baby, I love your birthday,” she said through tears, describing how he marked the occasion every year. She went on to say that this honour was the “best birthday gift” given to him Trump.
Erika expressed her gratitude to Trump and thanked him for making it a “priority”.
“Thank you, Mr. President, for honoring my husband, in such a profound and meaningful way. And thank you for making this event a priority. Your support of our family and the work that Charlie devoted his life to will be something I cherish forever," she said.
What did Trump say?
Calling Charlie “a martyr for truth and for freedom," Trump said, “Today, we’re here to honor and remember a fearless warrior for liberty, beloved leader who galvanized the next generation like nobody I’ve ever seen before, and an American patriot of the deepest conviction, the finest quality and the highest caliber. The late, great Charlie Kirk.”
Trump termed his killing a “demonic act", saying, “He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth, for living his truth and for relentlessly fighting for a better and stronger America.”
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Charlie Kirk, 31, who started out as a teenage conservative activist on college campuses and later became a well-known podcaster, cultural commentator, and strong ally of Trump, was fatally shot last month while attending a public event at a college in Utah. He was a leading voice of the combative, populist brand of conservatism that has come to define the Republican Party in the Trump era. A vocal Christian conservative known for his controversial remarks on issues such as gender, race, and politics, he founded Turning Point USA in 2012.