Charlie Kirk's Wife Reveals One Of His Last Photos In Emotional Post About Their Early Romance

Erika Kirk's last post with her husband, Charlie Kirk, was tragic, and now the wife of the late conservative activist has taken to Instagram to share one of the final captured moments of Charlie's life. In a post from Wednesday, September 17, Erika commemorated her husband — who was shot and killed on September 10 at a Utah Valley University speaking event he was hosting — with a photo that appears to have been taken at the event at which he died. "This is one of the last photos taken of you before you were murdered," Erika mournfully penned. "I look at it and can't help but see excellence."

In the same caption, the Proclaim owner gave insight into the early days of her relationship with Charlie. Erika said that when they initially began dating, she and the Turning Point U.S.A. founder bonded over sports and would frequent the basketball court. "I loved seeing you in that element because time was irrelevant," she wrote, noting that she played basketball in college, while her husband played in high school. "It was just us, the sound of sneakers squeaking and jump shots." She even referred to the shared image as Charlie's "Jordan" photo, in reference to their favorite former pro basketball star, Michael Jordan.

Erika Kirk has been extremely vocal on social media in the wake of her husband's death. Three days after the tragic event, she took to Instagram for the first time to pay tribute. "The world is evil," she began in a post that featured a carousel of photos of Erika over Charlie's casket. "The sound of this widow weeping echos [sic] throughout this world like a battle cry." It remains unclear whether Erika and her children were present during the fatal incident. However, in her first statement after the shooting, on September 12, the mom of two opened up about the moment she had to break the news to her daughter. "I said, 'Baby, daddy loves you so much,'" she revealed (via YouTube). "Don't worry, he's on a work trip with Jesus."

In her Instagram post, the "Midweek Rise Up" podcast host also asserted that "They have no idea what they just ignited within this wife," a message presumably aimed at her husband's shooter. Utah law enforcement arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson on September 11, per ABC News. He was charged with aggravated murder five days later.

In her September 12 statement, Erika Kirk specifically emphasized her appreciation for the nation's head officials and how they handled Charlie Kirk's death. Hours after the shooting, President Donald Trump announced the political activist's demise on Truth Social. "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," he wrote of his political ally. "No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us." Erika directly addressed Trump in her remarks, touting the relationship between the politician and her husband.

Erika additionally teared up when mentioning Vice President J.D. Vance, whom she said was her "husband's dear friend," as well as First Lady Usha Vance, who showed off her rarely-seen soft side in a moment with the newly widowed Erika. "You guys honored my husband so well bringing him home," she said. "You both are tremendous." Vance paid homage to Charlie with the transport of his body from Utah to the Kirk's home state of Arizona on Air Force Two — the V.P.'s official plane. In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Vance could be seen resting his hand on Charlie's casket as it was carried to the aircraft. Before Charlie's death was announced on September 10, Vance wrote on X: "Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father."