A resurfaced video has left many grieving supporters with heavy hearts, showing Charlie Kirk in a tender and personal role that contrasted with the fiery political figure most of America knew. The clip, filmed on the set of Fox & Friends Weekend, featured his three-year-old daughter walking shyly across the studio floor before breaking into a run toward him.
Sitting on the couch as a guest host for the very first time, Kirk’s entire face lit up with joy as he scooped her into his arms, embracing her tightly in front of the cameras. It was a rare glimpse into the private life that Kirk and his wife, Erika, had always tried to protect, choosing to share their work and faith publicly while carefully shielding their children from the spotlight. For many who admired him, the video showed a side that was deeply human, a doting dad full of love for his daughter. That image feels especially painful now in light of what happened just weeks later. On Wednesday, September 10, Kirk, only 31 years old, was assassinated during his American Comeback Tour event at Utah Valley University. He was in the middle of one of his signature “prove me wrong” sessions, taking a question on mass shootings, when he was struck in the neck by a bullet.
Chaos erupted as students and attendees ran for cover, and Kirk was rushed to the hospital, but despite medical efforts he was pronounced dead two and a half hours later. The shooter remains at large, and a massive manhunt led by the FBI and Utah police is ongoing. The attack came after more than 6,000 students had signed a petition to block the event from taking place on campus, highlighting just how polarizing Kirk had become in the political arena. His life story makes the loss even more striking.
Kirk had begun his career while still a teenager, co-founding Turning Point USA in 2012. By his early twenties, he was already speaking on the national stage, serving as the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention and later opening the 2020 RNC. Over the following decade, he transformed Turning Point into the largest conservative youth activist network in the country, with chapters on thousands of campuses nationwide. His daily podcast reached over a million listeners, and he expanded his influence into faith-driven initiatives such as Turning Point Academy and Turning Point Faith. Supporters credit him with energizing an entire generation of young conservatives and playing a pivotal role in Donald Trump’s electoral victories in 2016 and again in 2024. Yet, beyond politics and activism, Kirk was also a husband and father.
@cbsnews “What do you tell a 3-year-old?…I said, ‘Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry, he’s on a business trip with Jesus.” Mrs. Erika Kirk, wife of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, delivered her first public remarks since his death, promising to keep his legacy alive: “My husband is still here.” “I am so humbled to witness, Charlie, you alongside Jesus right now, doing what you always want to do, baby — making heaven crowded, right?,” Mrs. Kirk said. #news #charliekirk #utah #arizona #conservative ♬ original sound – cbsnews
His wife Erika, a former Miss Arizona USA, ministry leader, and athlete, is now left to raise their two children alone—a daughter, just three years old, and a son, only 16 months. The couple had celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in May, still building their young family together. For Erika and the children, the loss is deeply personal and immeasurable. The video of Kirk’s daughter running into his arms on live television now stands as a haunting reminder of the life he loved outside of politics, a moment that captured the joy of fatherhood that defined him as much as any speech or broadcast ever could.
When the clip resurfaced online after the tragedy, Fox News posted it with a simple caption: “Charlie Kirk appeared on Fox & Friends with his family just weeks before he was shot in Utah. Prayers are continuing to pour in for the Turning Point USA co-founder.” Tributes began to flood in immediately after news of his death spread. Former President Donald Trump called him “The Great, and even Legendary” and ordered all U.S. flags lowered to half-staff through Sunday evening in his honor. Leaders across the conservative movement described him as a trailblazer who changed the way young people engaged with politics, someone who built a movement from scratch and left an enduring legacy.
For many, his death was not just the loss of a political leader but the silencing of a voice that had inspired and mobilized countless young Americans. But for those closest to him, his wife and children, his true legacy is not measured in rallies or headlines. It is found in the quiet moments, like that embrace on national television, when a father’s smile revealed the depth of his love. For the political world, Kirk will be remembered as a firebrand who reshaped campus conservatism and challenged his opponents relentlessly. For his family, his legacy is forever etched in moments of tenderness: a hug, a laugh, and a father’s love frozen in time, reminders of a man who was not just a public figure but a devoted husband and father whose greatest joy was his family.
