Christian apologist Frank Turek thinks about Charlie Kirk every morning upon waking and every night before bed. One year after witnessing the conservative activist's assassination at Utah Valley University, the grief remains, but so has Turek’s determination to continue sharing the Gospel with college students.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Turek, the author of The War on Reality: Recovering Truth in a World That Celebrates Lies, described how prayer and faith have helped him process Kirk's death. Turek, who served as a mentor to Kirk, was with the Turning Point USA co-founder when he was fatally shot at a campus event at UVU in Orem last year.
The murder case against the alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson, is headed for trial, and he could face the death penalty if convicted. “Thankfully, a lot of people were praying. They said so. And I think it really, literally helped quite a bit,” Turek told CP about his emotional and spiritual journey in the aftermath of Kirk's murder. "But to this day, the first person I think of when I wake up is Charlie.
The last person I think of when I go to bed is Charlie." Turek pushed back against the idea that continuing to think of Kirk is a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, saying that experiencing trauma after witnessing the murder of a loved one is a normal response. "It's not like you're going to get up the next day and feel just fine," he said.
Kirk’s mentor explained that the conservative activist’s assassination has reinforced two central themes for him: the real existence of evil and the importance of eternity in the Gospel. “I mean, first of all, if there is no eternity, there is no God, there is no afterlife, there is no judgment, it ultimately doesn't