LIBERTY — In an emotional address to Liberty city council Monday night, former council member Eric Boughman spoke of his family’s loss and his reasons for resigning his seat on council.
Boughman and his family suffered the tragic loss of their 7-year-old daughter Emma Elizabeth on February 2 when she was struck by an SUV as she rode her scooter across Odell Street near the intersection with Willard Street in Liberty.
“Last week I told Mayor Michael Sheriff that I would be formally resigning my council seat effective immediately,” Boughman told council members at the regular monthly meeting at the Rosewood Center. “My life has been forever changed since February 2 when my little girl left this earth. I do not like quitting things, but at this time I have my wife, my family and Ingles (where he is manager), and that is all I can handle. Sometimes I can’t handle that, but these are things I have to do.
“I step back and pretend to be a councilman, but I have too much respect for the position not have my mind and heart in the job. There may come a day when I can focus again and I may run for office again, but not right now.
“I would like to thank the mayor and the council, all the city department heads and employees and the people of this town for all the food, the gifts, the visits and the calls and most of all the prayers for me and my family in this, the most difficult time in our lives. Please pray daily for us, because without God we wouldn’t even be at this point. Emma had such an impact on this community with her love and zest for life. All that saw her at a restaurant or ballfield or wherever, you saw her love and our love for her.
“The void in our life is huge. The pain, hurt and despair we feel is indescribable. Every day we ask for strength just to get through the day. After a few weeks everybody got back to their normal lives as well they should have. Unfortunately for us our normal lives ended on February 2.”