A little over two weeks after political activist Charlie Kirk was killed during an appearance at Utah Valley University, his death continues to weigh heavily on Palm Beachers who recall his days on the island.
Local Republican Party funders and civic leaders fondly recall Kirk’s presence in Palm Beach, where about 15 years ago, he began to establish himself as an emerging leader in conservative politics and a generational voice who brought scores of young people into the movement.
“I think college kids have been ignited, and they feel good about what he was trying to do for America, so I don’t think that fire is going to extinguish,” Republican fundraiser and activist Gay Hart Gaines said. “I think it’s going to burn brightly.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Eileen Cornacchia, creator of Palm Beach’s famed Old Bag Luncheons charity events.
“His impact is incalculable, especially young people,” she said, noting Kirk’s Christian faith. “He’s encouraged a lot of young people to attend church.”
Cornacchia first met a young Kirk during a 2017 Republican Party event at The Breakers resort alongside her friend Rebecca Dunn, a former Palm Beacher. Dunn and her husband, Bill Dunn, who died in April, were early funders of Kirk’s political activism nonprofit, Turning Point USA, which advocates for conservative politics on high school and college campues.
Since that event, Cornacchia had only seen Kirk in passing but noted that he always stopped to talk.
But Gaines relationship extended beyond chance encounters, as they would stay connected, and in the fall 2024, she hosted him, his wife Erika and two children at her 2 N. Breakers Row condo.
“They moved in, and they lived there for eight weeks,” she said. “They were so lovely to all the staff.”
Gaines noted that at one point, paparazzi had captured images of the Kirk family enjoying the beach “right in front of our building.”
She said that Kirk had noted how safe he felt at the condo, because of its security.
“That makes me think that he was worried about his security, even then,” she said.
During his time on the island, he often joined Gaines for Sunday Service at the Royal Poinciana Chapel.
“Charlie was a true believer; he knew God exists and, frankly, he felt very comforted by it,” she said.
She noted that Kirk rarely referred to himself as a Republican and instead often referred to himself as a conservative Christian.
Gaines finds it difficult to understand how Kirk is viewed as a controversial figure whose comments sparked accusations that he promoted racism, homophobia, antisemitism and other forms of bigotry.
“People who say critical things about him I don’t think knew him,” she said. “Anybody that knew him would say he was a really good person, and that always came through.”
Gaines admitted she is still coming to grips with the loss.
“I still can’t believe it,” she said. “I can look right into there and see the apartment they stayed in, and I just can’t believe that Charlie Kirk is gone.”
Diego Diaz Lasa is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at dlasa@pbdailynews.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Palm Beacher’s recall Charlie Kirk’s presence, from church gatherings to beach days
Reporting by Diego Diaz Lasa, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
