Who is DJ Daniel? Photo of Erika Kirk hugging the 13-year-old backstage before receiving Fox Nation's 2025 Patriot Award goes viral

On Thursday, November 6, FOX Nation hosted the 2025 Patriot Awards in Greenvale's Tilles Center. One of the honorary recipients of this year's award is a 13-year-old boy named Devarjaye DJ Daniel, who was hugged by Erika Kirk backstage, with pictures of the moment going viral on social media. 

EMOTIONAL MOMENT: 13-year-old DJ Daniel — who inspired President Trump and was sworn in by the Secret Service while bravely battling brain cancer — shares a powerful backstage embrace with @MrsErikaKirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, at the @foxnation Patriot Awards. pic.twitter.com/npZuLbBQbX

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 7, 2025

DJ Daniel, who won the Young Patriot Award, harbors a unique passion for law enforcement. Living with brain cancer, Daniel has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for being sworn into the most law enforcement agencies.

Daniel first came into the spotlight back in March 2025, after President Trump mentioned him into his joint address to Congress, and then swore him in to the US Secret Service. It was something the 13-year-old wasn't prepared for but was overjoyed to become a honorary member of the USSS.

In April 2025, Daniel fulfilled his longtime goal of being sworn into a 100 law enforcement agencies in a St. Louis ceremony, where 203 police departments swore him in, earning him his Guinness mention. 

When he was sworn in at the Kemah Police Department earlier in 2025, DJ Daniel recounted his battled with brain cancer, saying (via MSN):

"From 2018, they said I only had five months to live. Look at me now, I'm still living, but the craziest part is I'm 13 years old and I had 13 brain surgeries. That's how many times my personality has changed. Every time I went in there, over 13 times, my dad has to relearn me."

Unlike DJ Daniel, Erika Kirk wasn't at the 2025 Patriot Awards for herself to for her late husband, Charlie Kirk, who had a new award category created in his honor. Erike received the first-ever Legacy Award named after the late TPUSA leader.

Melania Trump was also honored at the 2025 Patriot Awards 

First Lady Melania Trump receives the 'Patriot of the Year' award at the Fox Nation 2025 Patriot Awards pic.twitter.com/38CW4GYmEF

— FLOTUS Report (@MELANIAJTRUMP) November 7, 2025

Besides DJ Daniel and Charlie Kirk, another honorary who was at the ceremony on Thursday is the First Lady of the US, Melania Trump. 

Per New York Post, the First Lady received the Patriot of the Year award, and started off her acceptance speech by thanking the "American patriots," adding that she wouldn't have been there without them. 

Melania continued:

"Let’s embrace the spirit of ambition. Let’s celebrate everyone who dares to think differently...Trust me, I know a little bit about challenging convention."

Then, paying a tribute to the country's "rebellious founders who raged against British rule," she added:

"They all defied expectations politically and intellectually. Each shared a common trait. They reinvented how things work. Personal achievement fuels collective progress. Daring to chase your dream is the American way. Innovation isn’t accidental here. It’s in our DNA."

Melania concluded her speech by saying that in the US, innovation was "a form of patriotism".

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