They first met in middle school – when they were wide-eyed and 10, 11 or 12: before Americans could so easily separate themselves based on what they believed.
"Even then, he was political," Christina Lorey wrote in a social media post after his death. "A Republican – but not an extremist. He was funny, friendly, and always the first to debate anything and everything."
Lorey, a left-leaning journalist with a Substack following, who now lives in Wisconsin, and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. On Sept. 10, a shooter is believed to have fired a single gunshot that killed Kirk, 31, on the campus of Utah Valley University.
Now, Lorey is paying tribute to her childhood friend, years after their paths diverged. USA TODAY reached out to Lorey for comment, but has not yet gotten a response.
Who is Charlie Kirk? Political commentator killed in Utah
