Charlie Kirk leaves behind wife, young kids. The grief will be unbearable.

The news unfolded quickly and spread within moments on social media. Right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at a Utah college campus. His murderer remains at large. 

In the chaos of this moment, it's easy to lose sight of the people most affected: His family.

Kirk, 31, was a husband to Erika Frantzve and father of two young children. A daughter, 3, and a son, 1, who will live the rest of their lives without him. A crushing, stinging kind of grief that won't ever fully heal. Videos and photos of Kirk with his children are heartbreaking and hard to watch.

"She will never be embraced by her Daddy again," one Instagram commenter wrote of a sweet moment between Kirk and his daughter on a Fox News set. "She will never again receive that smile." Another added: "So sad, whether you like him or hate him. He’s a husband, father, and influencer to millions. May God protect him."

Regardless of your views or political leanings, for many the grief of losing a parent is relatable and unbearable.

"Charlie Kirk’s children will carry this loss for the rest of their lives, just as any child does when they lose a parent," explains Gina Moffa, licensed clinical social worker and author of "Moving On Doesn't Mean Letting Go." "That kind of grief reshapes their world permanently."

For some, that aspect of Kirk's life and legacy may be particularly difficult to think about or it may stir up powerful, personal emotions.

"Grief can surface in unexpected ways here. For some, it’s not grief for Kirk himself, but grief for the state of the world, for the violence itself, or for the children and family left behind," Moffa says. "For others, it’s grief tangled with anger or ambivalence."

'The world is becoming more unpredictable and volatile'

If you're having trouble processing this moment yourself, remember that grief is not linear, nor does it have to look one way. "Noticing and naming what you feel, whether it’s sorrow, outrage, horror, relief, indifference or confusion, is important," Moffa says. "They’re honest reflections of your own relationship to the person’s public presence."

Make sure you express your emotions, whether that's chatting with someone close to you, praying or writing. Don't hide from the layers of emotions and frustrations.

"The loss of a public figure can stir a variety of responses from the general public," says Amy Morin, psychotherapist, author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do" and the host of a podcast. "Sometimes people are surprised or even ashamed that they have such a strong response to the death of someone they didn't know personally."

If you're a parent, this could be an opportunity to explain death and grief to your kids. News of Kirk's death, as well as the graphic footage showing the moment he was killed, spread quickly among young social media users and high school hallways.

Use "clear, simple, age-appropriate, language, and not euphemisms," Moffa suggests. And remember that "what protects children most is safe presence: adults who are consistent, who listen and who reassure them that their feelings and experiences are allowed."

Kirk's shooting isn't even the first political violence this country has seen this year. That's why, Moffa adds, "as the world is becoming more unpredictable and volatile, conversations with our children are going to become more and more necessary in order to keep our families, safe and aware."

Some of the reactions online focused on frustration that not all shootings, like the one at a Colorado high school the same day as Kirk's killing, get outsized attention. It’s possible to experience grief for his loss, but also resentment over greater issues like gun violence and what gets news coverage, says psychologist Reneé Carr.

Whatever the case, this message from Moffa rings true: "No one deserves to be killed for their words and opinion."