“I’ve been asked at press conferences ‘when I die who is gonna take my place?’ You! And you’ll do greater things than I ever thought of doing because you are gonna have new electronic things at your fingertips to reach the world that we never dreamed about. Hallelujah!”
Words from the great Billy Graham in 1983.
Charlie Kirk hosted a very popular podcast ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’ consistently ranking among the top ten shows on Apple Podcasts. The show surpassed 130 million downloads in 2023. His social media following exceeds 14 million.
Charlie spoke in Columbus, Ohio on August 25 when he appeared alongside Vivek Ramaswamy at the Lincoln Reagan dinner fundraiser before a crowd of around six hundred at the Polaris Hilton. Backstage, according to Vivek, Charlie posed the question what happens after we are victorious and make America great again, for the second time. Vivek, who called Charlie an ‘idea guy’, liked the question and they both agreed that it would be something they would ‘workshop’ on soon.
Charlie Kirk’s life was truly a gift to us all from God. We will simply not see another like him. Charlie showed the world that debate can be healthy because it moves us forward. He gave the world clarity and truth while standing in the fire. And he left a young generation with answers and the idea that we all should be living a purposeful life.
Charlie Kirk’s non-profit organization – Turning Point USA – has a chapter at the Ohio State University as well as other colleges around the state.
Charlie Kirk appeared at the Ohio State University on March 22, 2023 as part of his eight-college ‘Live Free’ spring tour. He was accompanied by Conservative African American podcaster Candace Owens. The two had joined forces earlier that year.
Charlie was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. In May 2012 – at 18 – Charlie Kirk gave a speech at Benedictine University near his home for Youth Government Day. Tea Party activist Bill Montgomery was so impressed, he encouraged Kirk to consider political activism.
Charlie had no money at the time but launched Turning Point USA out of his parents’ garage a month later.
At the 2012 Republican National Convention, Charlie met Foster Friess, a wealthy donor, and he persuaded him to help finance his cause. Other donors soon followed.
In September 2018, Erica Frantzve was on a job interview with Charlie at Bill’s Burgers in New York that turned into a long dinner when Charlie said to her “I’m going to date you.”
He proposed two years later. Charlie moved his operations to her home state, Arizona. They married in May, 2021.
Erika had been crowned Miss Arizona in 2012. For her talent portion of an earlier teen pageant competition, she performed a dribbling exhibition with two basketballs. She played basketball and volleyball in high school at Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale.
Charlie began holding Turning Point USA events at Dream City Church in Phoenix in 2022. Turning Point USA’s signature convention – AmericaFest – has been held in Phoenix since 2021.
This past Sunday (Sep 14) an overflow crowed showed up for Charlie Kirk’s vigil at Dublin Coffman Park. No one who went expected anything less. The Ohio College Republican Federation had 600 candles to pass out. Over one thousand people were there. I didn’t get a candle, but I had my phone.
Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, the last speaker of the evening, had traveled extensively with Charlie. His warm personal experiences with Charlie backstage at events they’d done together – including the one at Polaris just a couple of weeks prior – was just what everyone was looking for. Vivek called Charlie a friend and said speaking at his vigil was one of the most difficult speeches he’s ever had to give.
Turningpoint_OSU posted on their Instagram page “to us as students, Charlie was more than a leader. He was a reminder of what conviction, courage, and faith can achieve. His example showed us that one voice, rooted in truth, can inspire thousands to stand firm for freedom.”
Turningpoint_OSU held a student vigil in the grand ball room at the Ohio Union on Sunday (Sept 14) as well where about two hundred showed up to honor the lives of Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska (a Ukranian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a rail line in Charlotte) and the victims of Evergreen High School (a shooting in Colorado last week).
“We cannot go back to lukewarm faith,” said fourth year Ohio State student Maison Barrow who spoke at the Turningpoint_OSU vigil. “From this moment on, we move forward with renewed courage, renewed conviction and renewed hope.”
Turning Point USA has chapters in all fifty states including 900 colleges and 1200 high schools. New chapter requests have surged past 30,000 since Charlie’s death.
Riley Gaines Barker posted on YouTube.com that she was “shaken to the core” by this tragedy. She would’ve been at the event in Utah with Charlie if she was not pregnant. She called Charlie Kirk a mentor and vowed to carry on her work.
Charlie is a New York Times and Amazon bestselling author, having written three books – ‘The MAGA Doctrine’ (2020), ‘The College Scam’ (2022), and ‘Right Wing Revolution’ (2024).
The 2025 AmericaFest is scheduled for Dec 18 – 21 at the Phoenix Convention Center.
When asked why God allows evil, the great Billy Graham said he couldn’t answer that, but “we need to accept by faith that God is sovereign and he is the God of love and mercy and compassion.”
Sources: TurningPoint_OSU on Instagram; Turning Point USA’s Ohio State chapter holds vigil for Charlie Kirk, Iryana Zarustka and Evergreen school shooting victims by Davis Beatty, Sep 15, 2025, thelantern.com; What to know about Charlie Kirk’s ties to Arizona by Richard Ruelas, Sep 11, 2025, azcentral.com; This is the turning point by Amanda Macias, Fox News, Sept 15, 2025, foxnews.com; www.charliekirk.com; Wikapedia; Charlie Kirk changed my life – Riley Gaines reflects, Sept 12, 2025, youtube.com; Thousands gather in Dublin to honor Charlie Kirk with candlelight vigil, Sept 15, 2025, WSYX ABC 6; Reflecting on Charlie Kirk: Will we be silent Christians of fearless ones? Narrated by Cissie Graham Lynch, Sep 11, 2025, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, billygraham.org; Who is Erika Kirk? By Rachel Wolf, Fox News, Sep 13, 2025, foxnews.com; Picture of Charlie Kirk is with and courtesy of Nancy Midura, president of Delaware County Republican Womens Club taken at the Lincoln Reagan dinner on August 25, 2025.