Erika Kirk shares daughter's sad message for father Charlie as he’s awarded posthumous medal from Trump

Erika Kirk has emotionally shared her daughter's birthday message for her late dad Charlie as he was awarded a posthumous award from President Donald Trump.

The widow of the conservative activist, 36, attended a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House yesterday (October 14) to remember her husband, on what would have been his 32nd birthday.

For those who need a reminder, Kirk was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University on 10 September, with the suspected shooter believed to be 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

Then on 21 September, a public funeral and memorial service was held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with the event seeing thousands in attendance. Among those who came along to pay their respects and issue speeches were US president Trump, JD Vance, and, of course, Erika.

Now, just over a month after Kirk's assassination, the late podcast host has been posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Yesterday, Erika Kirk accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on her late husband's behalf (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

As Erika accepted the award on Charlie's behalf, she said: "Now he wears the crown of a righteous martyr," and revealed that 'if the moment had come, he probably would have run for President'.

She added: "But not out of ambition. He would only have done it if that was something that he believed that his country needed."

Erika and Charlie share two children - a son who turned one in May and a daughter who turned three in August.

Sharing a heartbreaking message from their daughter, Erika said: "Before I close, I'll share with you that I asked our daughter what she would like to say to daddy for his birthday."

She said her daughter's message was: "Happy birthday daddy. I wanna give 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.”

After saying to the US President that he has 'given him the best birthday gift he could ever have', Erika then went on to share a 'gift' to Charlie from their young son as she burst into tears on the podium.

"And, well, our son, he's precious, he can't yet speak," she said, "In classic Kirk family fashion his actions spoke louder than his words and his gift to you, Charlie, and myself for that matter, was deciding to become the man of the house and be fully potty trained at 16 months."

She signed off her speech with: "Charlie baby, I know you're celebrating in heaven today but gosh, I miss you."

Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a Utah university on 10 September (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Trump added during the ceremony: "So one month after Charlie’s death, we still feel the terrible shock and the pain of his loss like just about nobody I can think of. Charlie Kirk was one of a kind, and he was unstoppable.

"Today we're here to honour and remember a fearless warrior for liberty, beloved leader who galvanized the next generation like nobody I've ever seen before."

He later added: “With hard work and joyful spirit and endless enthusiasm and determination ... Charlie grew Turning Point into the largest conservative youth organisation in the entire country.

"He fought for free speech, religious liberty, strong borders and a very strong and proud America ... everything he did was historic."

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