On September 21, 2025, the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, was transformed into a place of remembrance, unity, and spiritual resolve as thousands gathered to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, who was tragically shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. The stadium, packed with an estimated 100,000 attendees, was filled with both grief and hope as Dr. Ben Carson, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and a close friend of Kirk, delivered a stirring eulogy that resonated far beyond the walls of the arena.
Carson’s tribute, broadcast live on Newsmax and other platforms, was more than a simple memorial speech. It became a rallying cry for faith, courage, and a renewed commitment to the principles Kirk championed. Carson began by addressing the criticism Kirk had faced during his life, particularly regarding his lack of a college degree. Rather than shying away from the subject, Carson tackled it head-on, saying, “Did you hear a political figure last week saying that Charlie Kirk was ignorant because he didn't have a college degree? I've seen him run circles around people with college degrees.” According to Newsmax, Carson’s words were met with applause and nods of agreement from the crowd, many of whom saw Kirk as a brilliant strategist and passionate defender of Judeo-Christian values.
Throughout his remarks, Carson painted a picture of Kirk as a man of deep faith and intellect, someone who stood firm in his beliefs even when faced with fierce opposition. “I am delighted to see the young people of our land merging with the older people like me and moving in the same direction and understanding that our nation was founded upon the kind of principles that allowed us to rise from nothing to the pinnacle of the world in record time,” Carson said, as reported by Breitbart News. He attributed America’s rapid ascent to its Judeo-Christian foundation, emphasizing, “That was no accident. That was because of what we believe, including our Judeo Christian beliefs, that our rights come from our Creator and not from government.”
Carson’s speech also took a somber, cautionary turn as he warned of what he described as Marxist influences infiltrating American education, media, and culture. He referenced Cleon Skousen’s 1950s book, The Naked Communist, which he said exposes attempts to indoctrinate youth through schools and teacher unions. Quoting a radical leftist, Carson declared, “Give me your children to teach for four years, and the seed I sow will never be uprooted.” This, he argued, was not just theory but a reality playing out in American society, with efforts to gain control of media and Hollywood to “change the culture in America, making sexual perversion normal, natural and healthy.”
According to the crowd’s reaction and the reporting from multiple outlets, Carson’s warnings struck a chord with many attendees who shared concerns about the direction of American culture. He lamented that some churches had removed biblical teachings in favor of what he called a “worldly doctrine pushed by the left,” and he issued a direct challenge: “I challenge the ministers out there to talk about what the Bible says and not what the leftists say. And get on board, get on board of the revival that is coming. We are not going to be able to stop it. And you see evidence of it right here in the stadium. We’re all going to be a part of it.”
Carson’s call for a spiritual revival was not just rhetorical. He urged pastors to preach biblical truth and the broader faith community to stand up for their beliefs, linking freedom and faith in a single breath. “I want us all to remember, you cannot be the land of the free if you’re not the home of the brave,” he said, as reported by Breitbart News. “You’ve got to stand up for what you believe in.”
The memorial was not only a moment to look back but also to look forward. Carson predicted that the movement Kirk began would not only continue but grow, with Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, taking up the mantle of leadership at Turning Point USA. He expressed confidence that the seeds Kirk had planted through his activism and faith would bear fruit in the years to come. “I want to thank Charlie for his sacrifice because much fruit is going to be realized,” Carson said, echoing the sentiment that Kirk’s death, while tragic, would inspire a new wave of commitment to the causes he held dear.
One of the most poignant moments of the service came as Carson closed his remarks by quoting scripture, specifically John 12:24, and drawing a powerful connection to the timing of Kirk’s death. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit,” Carson recited, noting that Kirk was shot at 12:24 p.m. For Carson and many in attendance, this was more than a coincidence—it was a sign that Kirk’s sacrifice would lead to a greater good.
The stadium was filled not only with words but with music and tributes, including a bagpipe rendition of “Amazing Grace” that brought many to tears. Signs honoring Charlie Kirk dotted the arena, and moments of collective worship underscored the revivalist spirit Carson had invoked. As reported by multiple outlets, the crowd’s energy was palpable, with young and old alike joining together in song and prayer, determined to carry forward Kirk’s legacy.
Carson’s eulogy, while deeply personal, spoke to broader currents in American society. He framed the challenges facing the country as a battle of ideas, with faith, courage, and conviction on one side and what he described as Marxist ideology and cultural change on the other. He urged believers to remain steadfast and to see themselves as part of a larger movement—a revival that, in his view, was already underway.
As the memorial drew to a close, the sense of loss was undeniable, but so too was the sense of purpose. For those in attendance and the millions watching from afar, Carson’s words were both a tribute and a call to action. The life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, he suggested, would not be defined by the tragedy of his death but by the fruits his sacrifice would bear in the hearts and actions of those he inspired.
