Hundreds gathered across Illinois this week to celebrate the life of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, holding candlelight vigils, prayer gatherings, and memorials in the state where he first launched the conservative youth organization.
At Illinois State University, where Kirk spoke on April 8 as part of his “American Comeback Tour,” students and supporters placed a memorial on campus at the very spot where he addressed the crowd earlier this year. The tribute included flowers, handwritten notes, American flags, and a Bible open in homage. Nearly a hundred came together at the ISU quad flagpole for a prayer service that included Christian worship songs.
The Hanover Township Republicans hosted another service, drawing hundreds who lit candles, prayed, and shared memories of Kirk.
Emily Cahill, Will County Young Republicans Treasurer
In Lemont, where Kirk founded Turning Point USA more than a decade ago, several hundred attendees turned out for a candlelight remembrance led in prayer, with participants singing the national anthem and holding handmade signs reading ‘You will be missed’ and ‘Your legacy will live on.’ Mourners also placed flowers, flags, and photos outside the site of his first office in the town.
Emily Cahill, Will County Young Republicans Treasurer
Hanover Township Facebook Page
The ceremonies in Illinois follow a series of memorials held nationwide and abroad after Kirk, 31, was assassinated on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University before an audience of about 3,000. Law enforcement arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the shooting.
Communities overseas also honored his life. Hundreds of mourners assembled Friday evening in central London, where Turning Point UK organized a vigil featuring U.S. flags, the Christian hymn Amazing Grace, and candlelight in Parliament Square. Tributes were also reported in Berlin, Madrid, Paris, and Vienna, with Poland’s parliament holding a moment of silence at the request of the Law and Justice party.
In the United States, sports teams and institutions held dedications, including moments of silence by the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, the NFL, and the Kennedy Center. President Donald Trump ordered American flags flown at half-staff until Sunday evening and announced that Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, September 21, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which seats more than 63,000.
Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two children.
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