My thoughts on Charlie Kirk's life and death

Charlie Kirk - 1993-2025

A Tale of Two Stories

I’ve learned not to rush into writing about tragedies on the day they happen—or even in the days immediately after. Emotions are too raw, thoughts too scattered. And yet, nearly a week has passed since the day Charlie Kirk was brutally murdered, and the weight of it still sits heavy. It’s a day I will never forget, etched into my memory in the same way I’ll never forget where I was on the morning of 9/11—ironically, just the day before this latest heartbreak.

Why does it linger so deeply? Is it because I see Charlie as the Martin Luther King Jr. of our time? Some may find that comparison too strong, and I admit that MLK faced unique and relentless opposition, especially in the form of racial hatred. Charlie did not face that same reality. But like MLK, Charlie willingly stepped into hostile spaces, confronting ideas and people who despised him simply for what he believed. He didn’t shy away—he sought those moments. He carried a vision and a mission he believed were vital to our society, and tragically, like MLK, he was struck down by a radical filled with hate, a man who thought he was serving the world by silencing him. In death, however, Charlie’s voice now echoes louder than ever.

Still, my thoughts haven’t rested only on Charlie. I miss him because I followed his work closely. His podcast was part of my daily rhythm. His short debate clips—whether on college campuses here in the States or abroad—were a regular stream in my feeds. And at the center of it all was his message: proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ as the true source of change, the only foundation for a return to conservative, Christian values in our nation.

And yet September 10th will remain unforgettable for another reason—a story much closer to home. That was also the day my oldest son turned 21. A milestone meant for joy and celebration became overshadowed by grief and national unrest. For me, it will always be remembered as a day of two stories.

One story of a young man raised in a Christian home—not perfect, but deeply committed to keeping Christ first. A home where truth was taught, hard questions were faced honestly, and where life’s pain wasn’t hidden but walked through together. My son has already endured losses and trials that most people won’t face until much later in life. But by God’s grace, he’s had a community of believers who lived out their faith and created space for wrestling with doubt and difficult questions. The kind of questions that lead us to a crisis point—a crossroads—where the choice is either to walk away from faith or to bow before the throne of Christ for eternity.

For a time my son wrestled with his faith, but one truth anchored him: God was real, and He deserved to be at the center of any conclusion. That conviction steadied him, and today he is preparing for ministry, actively serving in our church, mentoring youth, and helping lead his young adults group. God has placed on his heart a call to proclaim the Gospel “to all nations.”

Then there is another story—one that doesn’t end with hope, at least not yet. A 22-year-old young man made the unthinkable choice to take another person’s life, convinced that doing so would somehow benefit our nation. He acted on a lie—a lie that is infecting an entire generation. The lie that life has little value. The lie that God does not exist. The lie that there is no heaven, no hell, no devil. The lie that truth is subjective, that morality has no foundation, that nothing is sacred.

From those lies came premeditated murder. This young man set his sights on Charlie Kirk, who only wanted conversation. Not always easy, not always agreeable—but dialogue. Charlie believed people could disagree and still walk away human to human, not enemy to enemy. That hope ended with a gunshot.

My heart breaks for the shooter. Am I angry at his choice? Absolutely. It was his choice. But deeper than anger is grief for the voices in his life—voices he trusted—that fed him poison disguised as wisdom. Lies he absorbed, lies he carried, lies that consumed him until they spilled out in violence. Such deception spreads like a parasite, never content to stay inside one host, but always seeking another to corrupt, divide, and destroy.

And the evidence of this worldview is everywhere. We saw it not only in the moment Charlie was gunned down, but in the celebration that followed. Crowds of people—politicians, celebrities, media personalities, even teachers and doctors—mocked his death. Some cheered. Some called it justice. Some praised the shooter for silencing Charlie Kirk forever. That reaction revealed what happens when a culture embraces lies: division, violence, chaos, and ultimately death.

A Legacy of Courage and Truth

My heart aches for my son. He looked up to Charlie Kirk, admired him, and in many ways modeled himself after him. Charlie spoke directly to young men like my son—men searching for purpose, direction, and truth. He left a permanent mark on this generation. Thousands of young men, stirred by Charlie’s call for godly men, godly husbands, and godly fathers, are now ignited by his legacy. I believe what began as one man’s courage is becoming a movement—one that will sweep across this nation. But with it will come resistance. Sadly, here in America I fear Charlie will not be the last martyr who gives his life for the name of Christ. His “radicalism” was nothing less than truth boldly declared in a culture that despises it.

My son has felt that spark as well. He’s dreaming of launching his own podcast to share the message God has placed on his heart. That’s why I see September 10th so differently. The shooter—driven by fear, ultimately by Satan—tried to silence voices like Charlie’s. Fear was his weapon. But instead of silencing, I believe he awakened a sleeping giant. What was meant to intimidate will only multiply. What was meant to end a voice has magnified a movement.

There is something profound in watching a young man like Charlie at eighteen, sitting at a folding table with a sign that read “Prove Me Wrong,” daring anyone to sit down and talk. That courage grew into a public witness where Christ was brought front and center. We watched him come to faith, get married, raise a family, and build Turning Point USA into a grassroots juggernaut reaching thousands of young adults—the very age group most likely to abandon God. Charlie knew the risks. He once said he wanted his legacy to be one of courage and truth, echoing Paul’s words: “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” And now he has lived—and died—by that conviction.

But the story doesn’t end in death. This past Sunday, thousands more people attended church because of Charlie’s message. Many who had never listened before went searching online to find out what he stood for, and they encountered a bold, unashamed Christian sharing redemption with anyone who would listen. Charlie had already decided that every conversation was an opportunity to bring up Christ. He never shied away, never watered down, never hid his faith.

And now the question turns to us. What will your response be? Will fear keep you silent? Will ridicule or the threat of being canceled cause you to shrink back? The truth is, most of us will never face death for our faith. More likely we’ll face mockery, rejection, or being ignored. But if Charlie Kirk could risk it all for the sake of Christ, surely we can endure being yelled at—or worse, simply misunderstood.