The Nurse, The Doctor, and a Nation on Edge
NJ Hospital Dispute After Kirk’s Assassination
The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10 sparked reactions across the country, from grief to controversy.
At Englewood Health in New Jersey, it led to a clash between nurse Lexi Kuenzle and bariatric surgeon Dr. Matthew Jung.
Kuenzle says Jung “celebrated” Kirk’s death in front of staff and a patient, declaring,
“He had it coming.
He deserved it.”
She challenged him, later telling Fox News,
“Speaking up wasn’t optional for me; it was my duty as a nurse.”
Both were suspended during an investigation. Kuenzle filed a lawsuit, claiming retaliation and a hostile workplace.
Englewood Health later accepted Jung’s resignation and reinstated Kuenzle, emphasizing: “The nurse was never fired… and will not miss any pay.”
The case has fueled debate about free speech, professionalism, and politics in medicine.
As Kuenzle put it: “Even if I disagreed with Kirk’s views, I could never justify celebrating his murder.”
