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What did Erika Kirk mean by ‘blueberry budget’? Charlie Kirk's wife's ‘work trip with Jesus’ phrase explained
Of all the things Erika Kirk said in her address to the nation, what stood out was how she explained Charlie Kirk's absence to their little daughter.
Erika Kirk’s first address to the nation after her husband Charlie Kirk’s assassination highlighted the tension between public performance and personal grief. Of all the things she said, what stood out was how she explained Kirk's absence to their daughter.
Erika and Charlie Kirk share two children – a son who turned 1 in May and a daughter who turned 3 in August. In her September 12 address, Erika revealed what she told her daughter after the assassination. "When I got home last night, our daughter just ran into my arms ... and she said, 'Mommy, I missed you.' I said, 'I missed you too, baby.' She goes, 'Where's daddy?'" Erika said. "What do you tell a 3-year-old? She's three. I said, 'Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don't you worry. He's on a work trip with Jesus so he can afford your blueberry budget.'"
What does ‘blueberry budget’ mean?
The term “blueberry budget” is often used to refer to a fund for things like family adventures or special toys. It is not literal.
It can be used as a metaphor for providing, explaining that a loved one who has died would provide for their child even in death. Erika’s phrasing sounded as if "work trip with Jesus" allowed Charlie to support the family's expenses. In a more childlike explanation, the term “blueberry” may have been meant to serve as a gentle and comforting way to convey financial security to a child.
In her speech, Erika also vowed to keep her husband’s legacy alive, saying she would keep the campus tour going. "He never gave up. One of his mottos was never surrender. So I want to tell that we will never surrender," she said.
"The campus tour will continue. There will be even more tours in the years ahead to come," Erika added.
Erika said that her husband’s ideology will continue to spread, adding, “In a world filled with chaos doubt and uncertainty, my husbands voice will remain."
