By Charlie Kirk’s death, and his wife’s forgiveness has deeply impacted one Hollywood legend. Tim Allen says it took him more than six decades to arrive at the words. On Thursday, the Michigan-born actor wrote that he has finally forgiven the man who killed his father in a drunken driving crash in 1964, a tragedy that shadowed his childhood and shaped his early struggles.
The 71-year-old “Toy Story” and “Home Improvement” star said the turning point came this month as he listened to Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, speak with remarkable composure at her husband’s memorial service. “When Erika Kirk spoke the words on the man who killed her husband: ‘That man… that young man… I forgive him.’ That moment deeply affected me,” Allen posted on Twitter. “I have struggled for over 60 years to forgive the man who killed my Dad. I will say those words now as I type: ‘I forgive the man who killed my father.’ Peace be with you all.”
When Erika Kirk spoke the words on the man who killed her husband: “That man… that young man… I forgive him.” That moment deeply affected me. I have struggled for over 60 years to forgive the man who killed my Dad. I will say those words now as I type: “ I forgive the man who…
— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) September 25, 2025
Allen has spoken before of the pain of losing his father at age 11, recalling in a 2021 interview how the trauma fueled years of drug abuse before he found sobriety. Now, more than 27 years clean, he cast his declaration of forgiveness as a milestone and necessary release, writes The Detroit News.
Erika Kirk’s appeal to grace followed the violent death of her husband, who was shot during a college debate in Utah earlier this month. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, left behind a note confessing and citing frustration with Kirk’s views, according to police, though investigators have yet to detail a clear motive.
Taking over Turning Point, the group Charlie Kirk founded, Erika Kirk told mourners at State Farm Stadium in Glendale that she takes comfort knowing her husband “lived without regrets.” Her words—delivered just 11 days after the killing—echoed far beyond the stadium, stirring Allen to confront his own loss.
