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Erika Kirk hugs DJ Daniel backstage at the 2025 Patriot Awards on Nov. 6, 2025. (Fox News)
Two 2025 Patriot Award winners, 13-year-old DJ Daniel and widow Erika Kirk, hugged backstage in a sweet moment caught on camera.
The hug was between two people carrying very different kinds of grief and courage meeting in the same place.
The gesture of a kid fighting terminal cancer offering comfort to a widow who had just accepted an award in her late husband’s name moved the internet, with the photo quickly going viral on social media.
DJ has spent years traveling the country being sworn into law-enforcement agencies, more than 1,350 so far, on a mission inspired by three Houston police officers who helped his family during Hurricane Harvey.
Those same officers surprised him onstage, prompting an emotional tribute from his father, who said their kindness “literally saved my son’s life.”
DJ brought the house down with humor: “I might look 13, but I’m really a 50-year-old stuck in a 13-year-old’s body,” and even “arrested” Sean Hannity for laughs.
But the moment backstage between Kirk and Daniel without lights or microphones lingered.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth took the stage at Fox Nation’s Patriot Awards Thursday night and delivered one of the most powerful moments at this year’s awards, surprising legendary Vietnam veteran ‘Salute to Service’ honoree Maj. James Capers Jr.
During his appearance Hegseth, a longtime Fox Nation host before joining the administration, spoke about restoring America’s “warrior ethos” and honoring the men and women who serve.
“At the Department of War, we’re bringing back the kind of warriors like Major Capers,” he told the cheering crowd. “It’s the privilege of a lifetime.”
He also took a moment to praise President Donald Trump hailing him as “an incredible commander-in-chief” and emphasized a renewed focus on “standards, accountability, readiness, and warfighting lethality.”
First lady Melania Trump accepted the “Patriot of the Year” award at the Fox Nation Patriot Awards on Thursday.
In her acceptance speech, the first lady praised “American dreamers and innovators who embrace originality.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the 2025 Patriot Awards on Thursday, Nov. 6. (Fox News)
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hit the Patriot Awards stage with high energy, immediately spotting UN Ambassador Mike Walz in the crowd and joking, “Mike Walz, I’ll hit you up on Signal later.”
From there, Hegseth launched into a rapid-fire update on what he described as the mission to rebuild America’s warrior culture: restoring standards, ending bureaucracy and backing service members with “peace through strength.”
He credited President Donald Trump for historic recruiting and retention gains and said the War Department is focused on speed, lethality, and deterrence.
Hegseth also shared recent military operations in the Carribbean, warning America’s enemies, especially cartel smugglers, in the clearest terms:
“One piece of advice to narco-terrorists: do not get in a boat.”
He closed by repeating Trump’s marching orders to him: “Be tough, and restore the warrior ethos.”
Jason Aldean performs “Try That in a Small Town” at the 2025 Patriot Awards. (Fox News)
Laura Ingraham took the stage with a heartfelt remembrance of Charlie Kirk, recalling meeting him as a restless, determined 18-year-old who “had things to accomplish” and never lost his urgency to reach young Americans
She shared a light memory of their final text exchange with Charlie sending her a smiley emoji while they were both being criticized in the public square before noting how his videos now inspire millions.
Ingraham then introduced Jason Aldean to perform in Kirk’s honor.
Aldean stepped out to loud cheers, praising Charlie’s impact and thanking Erika and the Turning Point team for carrying the mission forward.
He joked that Charlie was “more of a hip-hop guy,” but said he knew Charlie understood the spirit behind his song.
Then he began singing “Try That in a Small Town,” delivering a performance that brought the room to its feet.
