The quiet halls of Englewood Health in New Jersey became the setting for an unlikely national story. What began as a workplace disagreement between a nurse and a doctor soon grew into a headline involving politics, morality, and professional responsibility.
The backdrop was the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 30-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University. His death sent shockwaves across the nation, drawing grief, criticism, and controversy in equal measure.
Public reactions to Kirk’s killing quickly turned divisive. Some expressed sympathy for his family, while others made remarks that cost them reputations or careers. Against this polarized climate, tensions at Englewood Health brought the debate from the national stage into a hospital corridor.
Nurse Lexi Kuenzle said she was disturbed when her colleague, Dr. Matthew Jung, openly “celebrated” Kirk’s death, claiming he “deserved it.” Believing such remarks had no place in patient care, she reported him to hospital leadership. Both were suspended pending an investigation, a move she saw as retaliation for speaking out.