Hundreds of people gathered around Boerne’s Main Plaza gazebo Thursday to honor the life and legacy of the late right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.
Inspired by a vigil that Kendall County Republican Party secretary Megan Kempf attended at UTSA, County GOP Chair Jennifer Barreras-Rawls and Ginger Blair Curd teamed up to organize the local event, posting flyers and notices on social media to invite anyone who wished to attend.
The many speakers, including high school seniors, local pastors and Kirk's close friend Josh Hoffman, Major Gifts Officer at Turning Point USA, shared how his death impacted them. One message was universal across the speakers: Things will be forever changed.
“We’ve received over 60,000 requests to open new chapters for Turning Point in one week,” Hoffman said. “To put that in perspective, we currently have 3,500 chapters.”
Hoffman also expressed his support for Erika Kirk, wife of the late Kirk, as the new CEO of Turning Point, a 5013C organization that promotes a limited government ideology, and other right-wing conservative concepts.
“Prayer is the one thing keeping her going,” Hoffman said, urging attendees to send prayers for Erika and her two children.
Hoffman also reminisced on celebrating at Mar-a-Lago – Trump’s mansion in Florida – with Kirk over Trump’s 2024 presidency win. But Kirk, according to Hoffman, didn’t stay long to celebrate because he wanted “to get to work.”
“He died doing what he loved,” Hoffman said. “Charlie was very clear that liberty was not man’s idea, it’s God’s idea. Here in the United States, we have the blessing to drink deeply in the streams of liberty. Our work is not over.”
Barreras-Rawls shared a similar sentiment, adding that she felt Kirk’s faith was what defined him.
“Charlie was first and foremost a faithful person,” she said. “He had a profound love of God that led him to his activities. I really think the youth of our time found him to be their voice when they had none.”
Curd added that Kirk’s death had a lasting impression on his followers.
“I think this has put a fire in our generation,” Curd said. “I really do believe that this generation is fired up because of what they witnessed. “Someone who was so amazing and important to their generation was assassinated right in front of them,” Curd said. “We haven’t had anything like this since JFK.”
Some of the speakers at the vigil reflected on their notion that Kirk’s assassination was an attack on the Christian faith itself.
“Being a Christian today is no easy thing,” Kane Vic, a Boerne Champion High School student, said. “Charlie Kirk may have never known how deeply he influenced my life, but because of him, I carry my faith with confidence, not apology.”
Barreras-Rawls shared a final thought: “I don’t know if there will ever be another Charlie Kirk.”
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