In a stunning revelation following the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, the public has learned of a previously undisclosed sibling, Mary Kirk, whose political views starkly contrast with her late brother’s.

This story uncovers the life of Mary Kirk, a 29-year-old left-leaning activist and Bernie Sanders supporter, who emerged from the shadow of her brother’s conservative spotlight after his fatal shooting last week, as the Hindustan Times reports.

Growing up in the Democrat-leaning suburbs of Chicago, Charlie and Mary Kirk were raised by their parents, Robert Kirk, an architect, and Kathryn Kirk, a mental health counselor.

Family roots in divided landscape

As children, the siblings shared a close bond, with Mary initially embracing Charlie’s enthusiasm for Republican ideals.

In 2011, Mary was even a member of a young people's group aligned with conservative values

However, her political journey took a dramatic turn in 2015 when she met Bernie Sanders during his first presidential campaign.

Sanders inspires shift

That encounter profoundly changed Mary, transforming her into a devoted Sanders fan and steering her toward left-wing activism.

She met Sanders again in 2016, sharing her excitement online with a caption that read, “#tbt to when I met Bernie a year ago and had no idea who he was, and now he is the light of my life.”

Her social media posts from that time reflect her growing ideological divergence, including a playful reference to a campaign moment when she wrote, “I was the bird,” alongside a photo of Sanders with a bird on his lectern.

Public expressions of new ideology

Mary’s online presence continued to showcase her evolving beliefs, with posts like one captioned “mood towards patriarchy,” highlighting her critical stance on social issues.

More recently, she urged her followers to support the Whitney Plantation, a New Orleans museum focused on the history and legacy of slavery, which faced funding cuts amid the Trump administration.

Now 29, Mary uses an alias on Facebook, perhaps to maintain some privacy, given her brother’s high-profile status in conservative circles.

Balancing family ties amid political differences

Despite their opposing views, those close to the Kirk family insist that politics did not fracture their relationship.

Mike Miller, a Chicago jeweler and Turning Point USA board member who donated $50,000 to the organization in 2014, commented, “Mary was a devoted sister to Charlie. Her politics are her business.”

An anonymous friend echoed this sentiment, noting, “Their family was no different than a lot of families these days,” and added, “Charlie went one way, Mary ending up going the other. Their parents are pretty moderate conservatives.”

Mary’s personal achievements also stand out, as she graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2019 with a degree in art history, criticism, and conservation.

She currently works as a gallery assistant while running her own art consulting business, Kick Art Services, carving out a professional path distinct from her brother’s political endeavors.

While Charlie’s tragic death on Sept. 10 has brought renewed attention to the Kirk family, Mary’s story adds a nuanced layer, illustrating how political divides can exist even within close-knit families without breaking their bonds.