13 things about Arlington Heights, Illinois native Charlie Kirk

Charles James “Charlie” Kirk was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, United States. His mother Kathryn Smith Kirk is a counselor at a mental health clinic and his father Robert Willard Kirk is an architect.

BIOGRAPHY

Charlie was an American right-wing political activist and author who co-founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics on high school, college and university campuses. He and Erika Frantzve Kirk have a daughter and a son together.

With their two children, Charlie and Erika lived in Scottsdale, Arizona. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. He grew up in Arlington Heights and Prospect Heights, Illinois.
2. He briefly attended William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois then dropped out to pursue political activism full-time.
3. He was 5 years younger than Erika.
4. From 2008 to 2012, he attended Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Illinois.
5. In 2011, he joined the Eagle Scout Association (ESA).
6. In 2012, while he was taking classes at Harper College, he co-founded Turning Point USA with William Thomas “Bill” Montgomery, who was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA and raised in Peoria, Illinois.
7. He addressed the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
8. In 2019, he met Erika.
9. In 2020, he took to social media to spread false information and conspiracy theories about the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and his radio talk show “The Charlie Kirk Show” premiered on The Answer radio channel of Salem Media, which is based in Irving, Texas, USA.
10. In 2021, he married Erika.
11. In 2022, he became a father.
12. In 2024, Erika gave birth to their second child.
13. In 2025, he died in Orem, Utah, USA at age 31.

TIMELINE

Charlie was 2 years older than his sister Mary Kirk. In high school, he became an avid listener of conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.

2010s

• On October 12, 2011, he became a member of the ESA.
• In May 2012, he gave a speech at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois and met Montgomery.
• On June 4, 2012, he graduated from high school.
• On June 5, 2012, he and Montgomery founded Turning Point USA.
• In August 2012, he attended the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, USA where he met Foster Friess, who became a Turning Point USA donor.

2020s

• On July 18, 2020, Montgomery, his Turning Point USA co-founded, died of complications from COVID-19.
• In October 2020, he started hosting “The Charlie Kirk Show”.
• On November 5, 2020, he led a Stop the Steal protest at the Maricopa Tabulation Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
• On May 8, 2021, he and Erika got married.
• On August 23, 2022, Erika gave birth to their daughter.
• On May 15, 2024, Erika gave birth to their son.
• On October 14, 2024, he turned 31.
• At 12:20 p.m. on September 10, 2025, while speaking at a rally at Utah Valley University in Orem, he was fatally shot by Tyler Robinson.
• On September 21, 2025, around 200,000 people including Trump and JD Vance attended his funeral at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
• Trump posthumously awarded him the U.S. highest civilian honor called the Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 14, 2025, which would have been his 32nd birthday. Erika accepted the award.