How do you say goodbye to someone who was taken too soon?
Charlie Kirk — 31 years-old — was a man of deep faith, a husband and father of two beautiful children. He dedicated his life to America and to teaching young people about its wonderful promise.
Charlie made the decision as a teenager not to go to college, but instead to found Turning Point USA. Working from his parent’s garage, at age 18, he raised his first $10,000. He worked to created campus chapters across the country for conservative students, recruiting new and previously apolitical members, which would change the course of American history.
He was unafraid to speak the truth and engage in rigorous debate against those who not only disagreed with him, but declared him as an enemy. He dedicated his work to using speech, not violence, to engage in civil discourse about the most important issues of our time. He believed politics were good, because it was a substitute for violence. He courageously fought with words, not weapons.
"If you disagree with me, move to the front of the line," Kirk would say during campus visits.
As TPUSA grew, with 3,500 high school and college campuses nationwide and over 250,000 student members, so did Charlie’s influence. Ultimately, he helped President Donald Trump win the 2025 presidential election — recruiting young voters to be part of the greatest political comeback of all time.
At Townhall, Charlie was an avid columnist and a successful host for Salem Media. His influence in this earthy world was infinite. One of his final posts on Instagram stated: “God, family, country. In that order.”
Charlie was our friend and he gave everything for our country. We are praying for his wife Erika, their children, and millions who loved him. We are better because of Charlie’s work and his legacy — as a patriot and great American — will live on through the souls he reached out to touch.