Just days after the shocking assassination of Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk, Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins joined Morning Air hosts on Relevant Radio to discuss the tragedy, remember Charlie, and outline how we move forward. 

[LISTEN TO THE SEGMENT]

When asked her reaction to the news that Charlie had been shot, Kristan shared the harrowing reality that she herself had been on campus, doing the exact same thing Charlie was, at the time. She then shared that the morning of the assassination, she had posted to X a horrifying study that would prove to foreshadow the day: 1 in 3 college students believe violence towards people they disagree with on campus is justified. 

Kristan went on to lament the loss of such a model of faith, noting that Charlie was a Christian who lived his faith out loud as part of his public mission. He was convicted by his belief that faith and morality should guide cultural and political movements, which was the guiding star of his leadership of Turning Point USA. 

She continued, reflecting that Charlie inspired young people to stand up for Life, freedom, and truth in often hostile college & university environments, and that his willingness to speak boldly gave students the courage to do the same (including in pro-life activism).

On my way to my second campus tour stop this morning and reading this new poll…

1 in 3 students at elite campuses say violence is acceptable to stop a campus speaker.

72% say it’s appropriate to “shout down” speakers on topics like abortion.

Pray for me and these students as…

— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) September 10, 2025

This work is critical, given how universities are increasingly marginalizing Christian and pro-life voices. Charlie worked overtime to try to bring those voices – our voices – back into the conversation. Kristan rightly pointed out that his legacy is not just in the size of the organization he built, but in the way he mentored and mobilized young people. 

That movement he started will in no way die out with him. He has planted seeds that will bloom and flourish, which is a mark of the leader he was during his too-brief 31 years. Kristan wrapped up the conversation by commenting on the goodness of God, who can bring good out of heartbreak. Charlie lived every one of his days with radical purpose, never wasting a moment, and Kristan urged listeners to follow his example.

READ NEXT: Kristan Hawkins Honors Her Friend, Charlie Kirk, on Fox & Friends