From Pope Francis to Charlie Kirk, Many Deaths in 2025 Had a Wide Impact

A poster of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is displayed at a memorial following the fatal shooting of Kirk, at the Turning Point USA headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., on Sept. 12, 2025. Thomas Machowicz/ReutersThe death of Pope Francis brought change to the Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion adherents and is now led—for the first time—by an American pope. The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as he spoke before a crowd horrified many and prompted somber conversations about political violence.And when trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre died by suicide, it brought additional scrutiny to the investigations of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. They were among the noteworthy and influential people who died in 2025 where the deaths themselves had a widespread impact.