Following Charlie Kirk's tragic assassination, thousands have flocked to his wife's Instagram, viewing cherished photos and videos that capture the warmth and love of their family's life together.
In the wake of Kirk's death, a poignant collection of videos and photos that celebrate his life and enduring legacy delivers an emotional gut punch to many who are simply trying to find any way they can to honor and remember a truly great man.
Perhaps one that tugs on the heartstrings the most was one passed along to me early this morning, posted by his wife, Erika.
The caption provides an indication of the love and respect for each other that the two shared, as well as their love and devotion to the Almighty:
Our life is built on covenant and I follow him, because he follows Christ.
To submit to him is not weakness…it is worship and a humbling blessing.
This love is not ours
…it’s God’s, on display.
The video features a piano instrumental playing over it, accompanied by an Aboriginal proverb shared during a speech by Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
"We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.”
Charlie, way too soon, has returned home to God.
A video posted the same day shows Kirk's young daughter backstage as her Daddy speaks to his many supporters, delivering a message of God and country.
As Erika writes, while everyone viewed Kirk as a powerful speaker spreading traditional American values and God's word in his unique style, his little girl never viewed him as such. She couldn't, because he was simply her Dad.
And she, his biggest fan. His best friend.
"There are things I’ll never forget, but this… this is etched in a deeper place," Erika wrote. "Watching the man I married become the anchor of her little heart."
The video is accompanied by the theme song from "Toy Story" titled "You've Got a Friend in Me."
Another clip, viewed over 4 million times, tells the story of Erika and Charlie and the birth of their first daughter, something Kirk describes as a "week that changed my life."
He describes the experience as "life-changing" and "beyond transformational."
"When you look down in your arms and you see your child, all of a sudden, everything you're fighting for, everything that you care about, everything that you're pushing for, gets into absolute clarity almost instantaneously and immediately," he says. "It was without a doubt the most transformational moment of my life."
Charlie Kirk's unwavering dedication to conservative principles and his fearless voice in the face of adversity inspired a generation. It's what many will remember him for. He leaves behind a legacy of courage and conviction that will echo for years to come. This near-mythical figure, who fought for what he truly believed in. A man we all aspire to be.
Yet, at the core of his being was a profound love for his family, where he found his greatest joy in the simple moments shared with his beloved wife and children. It is a healthy reminder to us all that true strength comes from the bonds we hold dear with our husbands, our wives, our children, parents, brothers, and sisters.
We must follow the example set by Erika and Charlie. To live in the moment and appreciate what and who we have in this life.