“Let It Mark You”: A Widow’s Call to Courage at AmFest

The moment was not scripted—and in many ways, that made it more powerful.

Standing on the AmFest stage, Charlie’s widow opened her remarks with a promise and a purpose: “We are going to get my husband’s friend J.D. Vance elected in ’48 in the most resounding way possible.” It was a declaration of resolve, but also a full-circle moment—one rooted in faith, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief that the mission did not end with her husband’s life.

Two years earlier, Charlie had stood on that same stage and said, “Here I am, Lord. Use me.” She reminded the audience that he did exactly that—and paid the ultimate price.

Winging It, and Meaning Every Word

Technical problems forced her to abandon her prepared speech. Her iPad wouldn’t turn on. Instead of panicking, she smiled and decided to “wing it.” What followed was raw, personal, and deeply human.

She spoke about AmFest being Charlie’s “Super Bowl,” about how he once deliberately sat in the worst seat in the arena just to make sure every sound, every message, reached even the farthest attendee. If Charlie could sit there, she joked, then everyone else was in good company.

She recalled the first AmFest—born from a simple idea: Who wouldn’t want to celebrate America? Last year, President Trump attended, and afterward Charlie sprinted toward Air Force One, leaving her in heels trying to catch up. Before boarding, he turned to her and said, “You’re closing AmFest—and running the staff meeting.” When she asked what she was supposed to say, his answer was simple: “You’ll figure it out. That’s why I married you.”

Now, once again, she was figuring it out—this time without him.

Loss, Loyalty, and What Gets Revealed in the Fire

The past three months, she said, had taught her more than she ever wanted to learn. Tragedy reveals who stands with you, who walks away, and who prays with you when words are gone. It also reveals unexpected truths—like the depth of her husband’s impact.

After his assassination, fractures emerged. Infighting followed. Bridges burned that should not have been burned. And yet, his absence proved just how much of a peacemaker and coalition-builder he had been.

She made one thing clear: retreat was never their way. Neither she nor Charlie operated in flight mode—they fought forward. That’s why she completed every media commitment Charlie had scheduled for his book. Not for herself, but to honor him. In their household, she said, their word was their bond.

A Movement That Keeps Growing

Even without notes, she shared the numbers Charlie loved:

80% of AmFest attendees were first-time TPUSA participants

One-third were students

54% were women

All 50 states, 25 countries, and Puerto Rico were represented

Over 40 breakout sessions and 178 sponsors

Since September 10th, more than 140,000 new student involvement requests have been submitted. Turning Point USA now engages over one million students, with 4,514 total chapters nationwide—and growing by roughly 50 chapters per day.

She called on students to act: high schoolers to start or join Club America chapters, college students to organize on campus, churchgoers to hold pastors accountable for biblical citizenship. Charlie never cared about age, race, or background—only whether someone was willing to stand up.

Courage Over Comfort

Charlie, she reminded the crowd, was more than a speaker or political thinker. He was a bridge—between generations, ideas, and people who had been told they didn’t matter. He believed disagreement should not be canceled, but confronted with clarity, courage, and grace.

AmFest, she said, is not an echo chamber. It exists to sharpen ideas, deepen convictions, and remind people that freedom requires responsibility—and truth requires courage.

As Turning Point USA looks ahead to 2026 and beyond, the mission is clear: invest in states, build the “red wall,” support President Trump with a full Congress, and mobilize the next generation with bold action, not comfortable words.

“Don’t Just Attend—Let It Mark You”

Her challenge to the audience was simple but piercing:

Don’t just attend AmFest. Let it mark you.

Let it stretch you. Let it challenge assumptions. Let it make you uncomfortable—because growth lives there. Refuse to drift. Refuse to disengage. Refuse cynicism.

That, she said, is how Charlie is honored—not with words, but with action.

With that, she welcomed the crowd to AmFest—not as spectators, but as carriers of a mission that did not end with one life, but now lives on through many.