Was Sam Ponder flooded with alarming messages after mourning Charlie Kirk?

Former ESPN personality Samantha Steele Ponder, aka Sam Ponder, has spoken out about the wave of unsettling messages she received online after publicly reacting to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Ponder, a former employee of the network (over 10 years), wrote last week that her social media inbox had been flooded after she paid tribute to the 31-year-old, Charlie Kirk, who was killed in the middle of an event at Utah Valley University. In her original post on X, she expressed sorrow for Kirk's family and concern for the nation.

However, she is also urging others to speak out with conviction as he once did. The broadcaster, who left ESPN in 2024 after 13 years, was among many from the sports world who spoke on Kirk's death. 

She wrote in her original post:

"I feel changed by this. At first, admittedly, more fearful. But as I consider what's at stake for our country and our children, I am emboldened to speak the truth with love even more. I spent so much of my professional career as a coward... shamefully afraid to say true things because it might jeopardize my position. One of the great things about having no "position" anymore is the realization that a platform is actually useless without courage."

She further said:

"I mourn for Charlie's family. I mourn for our country. But I have renewed hope that many, like me, will find the courage to lovingly speak the truth boldly in the public square, as he often did."

Her post faced a lot of backlash from the netizens.

Sam Ponder slams backlash, says empathy shouldn't depend on politics

Two days after she posted about Charlie Kirk, the former Sunday NFL Countdown host Sam Ponder said that her inbox was full of 'mean messages.' In a statement shared Saturday on X, Sam Ponder spoke of the harsh words reaching a new level, pointing out that kindness or empathy for those who pass should not change with their political views or public image. She posted on X:

"My DMs are more disturbing than ever (and trust me, that's sayin something). Apparently, only perfect people can be mourned when they're murdered in their 30s with a wife and young children. When a man is shot, debating opinions with anyone for all to see, he must align with our chosen dogma perfectly. If not, he had it coming/shouldn't have said those mean things, so you should shut up about it."

She continued saying:

"How can we see someone post about sadness over the death of ANYONE they cared about, even someone we think was flawed, and say 'Stop being sad about them. I didn’t like their opinions.' Mourn with those who mourn. If I ever see hypocrisy, let me see it in myself. God forbid every word we’ve ever spoken be the prerequisite for sympathy when we die."

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