Instead of attending a 9/11 commemoration at Ground Zero on Thursday, Vice President J.D. Vance had to do something even more heartwrenching, if that's possible: transport the body of his dear friend and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk from Utah, where he was shot, to his home in Arizona.

Vance and his wife, Usha, went to Utah to be with Kirk's family and friends in the aftermath of a fatal shooting during an appearance at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon.

It may not have been well known to the public, but Kirk became a friend to Vance after reaching out to him when he appeared on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News in 2017.

Vance's tribute

Vance described their friendship in a touching tribute on X.

A while ago, probably in 2017, I appeared on Tucker Carlson's Fox show to talk about God knows what. Afterwards a name I barely knew sent me a DM on twitter and told me I did a great job. It was Charlie Kirk, and that moment of kindness began a friendship that lasted until today.…

— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 11, 2025

He credits Kirk with some of his transformation from a skeptic about Donald Trump to a belief that he was the "only figure capable of moving American politics away from the globalism that had dominated for our entire lives."

He also said Kirk was one of his first supporters when he ran for Senate in 2021. Kirk was the one who brought Vance's name to the Trump family as a possible vice presidential candidate, even though Vance had criticized Trump in the past.

And Kirk helped Vance transition to a bigger spotlight when he was selected by the Trump campaign and supported him through times of guilt when his kids struggled to adjust, as well as offering campaign support.

"He wasn't just a thinker, he was a doer, turning big ideas into bigger events with thousands of activists," Vance wrote. "And after every event, he would give me a big hug, tell me he was praying for me, and ask me what he could do."

More praise

Vance said that a supporter pointed out to him that Kirk died doing what he loved: sharing ideas and debating on topics he cared about.

"He exemplified a foundational virtue of our Republic: the willingness to speak openly and debate ideas," Vance wrote.

He also praised Kirk for being devoted to his family and living out traditional values in getting married and having kids.  "He was so happy to be a father. And he felt such gratitude for having found a woman of God with whom he could build a family," Vance wrote.

The tribute ended with Vance addressing Kirk, saying, "You ran a good race, my friend. We've got it from here."

As the popular meme circulating at the news of his shooting said, "They just created a million more Charlie Kirks!"

May it be so.