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Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, shared the final text message exchange he had with conservative political activist Charlie Kirk before his death.
Butker, 30, posted the interaction on Instagram on Wednesday, September 10. The message, sent by Kirk in October 2024, included a Bible verse from Philippians 3:14: “I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus 🙏.” Butker replied, “On the mission 🙏🏻Thank you.”
“Thank you for your strong witness for Christ, Charlie,” Butker captioned his post. “Thank you for pursuing truth and leading your family as a husband and father. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
As National Enquirer previously reported, Kirk, 31, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday during the first stop of Turning Point USA’s The American Comeback Tour. His death drew reaction across political and sports circles.
Butker himself has previously faced public backlash. In May 2024, he delivered a commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he encouraged female graduates to embrace roles as “homemakers.”
“For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment,” he said during the May 11 ceremony. “I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you.”
He added that while some women may pursue careers, “the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
Butker also alluded to Taylor Swift without naming her, saying, “As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’” a reference to lyrics from Swift’s song “Bejeweled.”
The speech went viral on social media, drawing criticism from graduates and viewers online. Afterward, according to US Weekly, Butker deleted all photos of his wife, Isabelle, from his Instagram account.
One user wrote on TikTok, “Imagine sitting through his speech at your graduation after working so hard for your degree,” while another commented, “I don’t know, I think I’m gonna enjoy my title: physician scientist MD/PhD.”