Tim Allen credits Erika Kirk's eulogy with inspiring forgiveness for his father's killer
The Home Improvement star says a memorial speech helped him move past decades of anger over his father’s death, in a broader tribute surrounding Charlie Kirk’s memorial.
Tim Allen says Erika Kirk's memorial speech for her late husband inspired him to forgive the man who killed his father more than six decades ago. The Home Improvement actor, 72, has long wrestled with the 1964 death of his father, Gerald Dick, who was killed in a drunk-driving crash while driving his wife and a car full of children home from a Colorado football game. Allen wrote on X on Thursday that he could finally utter the words, "I forgive the man who killed my father.".
Erika Kirk delivered the moving tribute to her husband, Charlie Kirk, at a memorial ceremony at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday. In her remarks she referenced forgiveness as a core aspect of the remembrance, calling out the moment when she said, "That man … that young man … I forgive him" and invoking forgiveness as a reflection of her faith. Her words echoed a biblical line she cited: "Our Savior said, 'Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do.' That young man … I forgive him." She added, through tears, that she forgives the man because it was what Christ did and what Charlie would have wanted.
The service honored Charlie Kirk, 31, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot and killed while speaking at a public event in Utah on September 10. Erika Kirk’s tribute to her late husband was part of a high-profile memorial that drew a large crowd and underscored themes of forgiveness in the face of violence. Tyler Robinson, 22, the alleged shooter, has been charged with aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and a violent offense in the presence of a child, according to authorities cited in the coverage surrounding the event. The memorial drew a wide audience, with prominent public figures among those in attendance.
Allen has spoken publicly about the enduring impact of his father’s death. In a 2006 interview, he recalled a moment when his shock and grief followed the crash, saying, "He broke his neck and died in my mom's lap right there." He has also discussed a later spiritual struggle. In a 2012 interview, Allen described an ongoing search for answers from God, acknowledging that he had never fully settled his questions about why his father died and whether everything would eventually be okay: "Do you think this is funny? Do you think this is necessary?" These reflections illustrate the long arc of Allen's personal and spiritual journey alongside the contemporary public moment shaped by Erika Kirk's remarks and the broader memorial.
The saga surrounding Erika Kirk's memorial and Tim Allen's comments brings into focus how personal tragedy intersects with public remembrance in the realm of culture and entertainment. While Allen’s forgiveness signals a personal turning point, the surrounding tributes to Charlie Kirk emphasize the broader resonance of forgiveness within communities grappling with violence and loss. The case continues to unfold in court, with the alleged shooter facing multiple charges, and the Kirk family navigating a memorial that has become a focal point for discussions of faith, forgiveness, and civic life in a time of political and social division.