Jillian Michaels told Fox News Digital that her teenage son flew across the country to meet Charlie Kirk and that Kirk took time to speak with him shortly before the conservative activist was fatally shot at a Turning Point USA event.
Michaels, a fitness trainer and television personality, said she was invited to speak at Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit and that her then-13-year-old son, Phoenix, insisted on accompanying her, taking three separate flights to attend. During the event, Michaels said, she arranged for Phoenix to meet Kirk and that the Turning Point USA founder "ended up stopping, having a moment with him, shaking his hand, looking him in the eye, taking a picture, and giving my son exactly what he took three planes to get," she told Fox News Digital.
Michaels said she considered herself more centrist but accepted the speaking invitation because she respected Kirk despite differences on some issues. She said both of her children discovered Kirk through social media and that his message "resonated" with her son, particularly in speaking to young men in a culture he believes has diminished them. Michaels said her children enjoy discussing politics and that her daughter is also a fan.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Sept. 10 at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, and was pronounced dead later that day. He frequently traveled to college campuses to lead question-and-answer sessions and speak on political issues.
Michaels recounted that Phoenix asked her to pass along a birthday greeting for Kirk, whose 32nd birthday would have been in October. "My son actually asked me to say happy birthday to him because his birthday is in a month," Michaels said. She added a message to Kirk's family and supporters: "I can't even imagine what you must be feeling. Utterly horrified. I really don't have words. If there was ever anything that I could do to return the kindness and the generosity and the grace that your father and your husband showed my son, it would be my honor to do that."
Michaels has two children. She adopted her daughter, Lukensia, in 2012; her son Phoenix was born the same year to Michaels' then-fiancée, Heidi Rhoades. In her interview she described the logistical hurdles Phoenix overcame to attend the summit, including an unaccompanied minor itinerary involving flights to Los Angeles, Miami and Tampa.
The account underscores Kirk's reach among young conservative audiences and the personal connections he forged at campus events. Michaels' remarks were part of broader media coverage following Kirk's death that has included statements from Turning Point USA and commentary from political and media figures. Fox News Digital reported Michaels' comments; additional reporting has documented the attack at the Utah event and subsequent responses from authorities and political organizations.
Michaels said the encounter left a lasting impression on her son and on her family, and she expressed condolences to Kirk's relatives and supporters while offering to help in any way she could.