Erika Kirk’s fame rose significantly shortly after the death of her late husband, conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. She was often seen on the sidelines strongly supporting Charlie throughout his debates and rallies. However, her world turned upside down when her husband was assassinated on September 10, 2025, during a Utah University rally.
With two young children to support while processing the grief of losing her husband, Erika did not give in. She continues her late husband’s legacy, refusing to let criticism affect her. Her resolve, courage, and support for President Donald Trump can be attributed to the woman who raised her, her mother, Lori Frantzve. Outside the spotlight, Erika’s mom was also in a similar situation to her daughter.
In this 5 year old interview, Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, states that her mother, Lori Frantzve, worked with Homeland Security and the DOD, as a private business owner of E3Tek.
2003 was the beginning of E3tek (AZ-Tech). And Kent Frantzve was a program director for E3tek… pic.twitter.com/mVCuYolOte
— Melissa Redpill – Freedom Force (@MelissaRedpill) December 21, 2025
In an episode of the podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, Erika revealed she was raised by a single working mother. Frantzve is currently a successful business owner and previously worked at General Electric for several years before launching her own business. Being career-driven and a mother wasn’t an easy task for Frantzve. But it didn’t stop her from imparting the values Erika has exhibited over the years.
At a Revival of Womanhood event in June 2025, Erika got candid about her upbringing, crediting her mother for who she is today. Addressing a crowd, she revealed that she had been “wired at a very young age.”
The Turning Point USA CEO quoted her mother’s advice in an episode of The Charlie Kirk, saying, “Never let yourself be in a position where you can’t support yourself, never rely on a man.” Erika has indeed never depended on her late husband, per se. She was always independent and had her own thing going even before her husband’s death.
ERIKA KIRK: “We don’t retreat. Charlie would go wherever he needed to go, and I’m the same exact way.” @MrsErikaKirk live at AmFest 2025 pic.twitter.com/9jW8Iq1Kqp
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) December 19, 2025
In addition to being raised as an independent woman, Erika was always taught to “share her blessings” with others. Speaking to Arizona Foothills Magazine exclusively during her pageant days, Erika shared one of her mother’s most important life lessons. Speaking about her mother, Erika recalled her mom’s “constant” advice, saying, “We needed to share our blessings with others.”
It appears that Erika was always impact-driven. From her beauty pageant days to the present. Erika continues to strongly follow through on being a giver and “changing the world.” From donating to various charities and starting her own, Erika continues to adhere to her mother’s advice about giving.
🚨JUST IN: Erika Kirk reveals that her mother LOVED Charlie and they joked, saying he was her “Favorite Child.” ❤️
“I would say Charlie was her favorite child. What made our sabbath dinners so special was that they weren’t about religious protocol. My mom is battling a rare… pic.twitter.com/xWYle8uWpE
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) December 9, 2025
Apart from relating as businesswomen and single mothers, Erika and her mother had another common thread. Apparently, Frantzve had a “special relationship” with her son-in-law before he died. In another episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, Erika revealed that the two were reportedly very close to each other.
She said, “My mom and Charlie were best friends…” The Trump administration supporter further recalled joking about how Frantzve would sometimes joke about Charlie being her “favorite child.”
Even on the day of Charlie’s unfortunate death, the mother and daughter were together. Erika revealed she was with her mother when Charlie’s Chief of Staff, Mikey McCoy, called Erika to inform her about the devastating turn of events at Utah University. Frantzve continues to support Erika, who is focused on impacting the lives of fellow Americans.
