Just a few weeks after Millie Smith and Lewis Cann joyfully discovered they were expecting identical twin girls, their world was turned upside down by heartbreaking news—only one of their daughters would survive.

On April 30, following 30 weeks of a high-risk pregnancy, Millie gave birth to twin girls, Callie and Skye. Tragically, Skye lived for just three precious hours. In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Callie lay in her incubator, growing stronger day by day. But her sister’s absence loomed large. As Millie and Lewis grieved while tending to their surviving daughter, they found themselves faced with an emotional burden few could understand.

One day, a fellow mother of healthy twin newborns, unaware of their situation, looked at Millie and remarked, “You’re so lucky not to have two.” That comment, while innocent, struck Millie like a lightning bolt. She couldn’t summon the words to explain her loss. In that deeply painful moment, she realized Skye’s short life had a purpose—to help other grieving families facing similar heartbreak—and that purpose would take the form of a small, powerful symbol: a purple butterfly.

Back in November 2015, the couple had first learned they were expecting their first child. Millie, who comes from a family with twins, had a strong feeling she might be carrying more than one baby. Ten weeks into the pregnancy, her instincts were confirmed—she was expecting identical twin girls.

But not long after celebrating the news, the couple received devastating information. During a routine scan, the doctor’s silence spoke volumes. “I was so excited watching our babies on the screen, but she didn’t say anything. Both Lewis and I instantly sensed something was wrong,” Millie recalled. Their fear was confirmed: one of the babies had anencephaly, a severe condition where parts of the brain and skull don’t develop. According to the CDC, this rare condition affects roughly 1 in 4,600 babies in the U.S., and almost all babies born with it die shortly after birth.

Despite the risks and the emotional toll, Millie and Lewis chose to continue the pregnancy. Over the coming months, they named their daughters Callie and Skye. “We wanted Skye to have a name before she was born,” Millie explained. “Even if she only lived for seconds or minutes, we wanted her to be known.” The name “Skye” held special meaning—it symbolized a place where she would always be, somewhere they could look up to and remember her.

When Millie went into labor prematurely at 30 weeks, she had to undergo an emergency C-section. To help navigate the birth and the inevitable loss, the couple was supported by a bereavement midwife. They were taken to a special space called the “Daisy Room,” designed for families who need time with a child before and after their passing.

“When the girls were born, they both cried,” Millie remembered. “That was an incredible moment because we were told Skye would not move or make a sound.” They were able to hold Skye, cuddle her, and spend three unforgettable hours with her before she passed away in their arms. “It was the most heartbreaking experience of our lives. I had never felt pain like that. But I’m proud she held on long enough to be with us.”

Callie, born premature, had to remain in the NICU to build her strength. The unit also housed three other sets of twins. Though many nurses knew about Skye’s passing, after a few weeks, the subject was no longer discussed. New parents around them had no idea about the loss Millie and Lewis had suffered.

Then came the morning when a tired, overwhelmed mother of twins made her well-meaning but painful remark. Millie didn’t have the heart to explain. She just quietly excused herself, left the room, and cried. That moment convinced her something had to change.

Millie came up with the idea of a small symbol to represent babies who were part of a multiple birth but had passed away—a way to gently communicate a family’s hidden grief without words. She designed a simple but powerful visual: a purple butterfly.

She created a poster for the NICU explaining to staff and visitors that if they saw a purple butterfly on an incubator, it meant one or more babies in that set of multiples had died. “I chose a butterfly because it represents the babies who flew away,” Millie explained. “And the color purple because it’s suitable for both boys and girls.”

This initiative grew into the Skye High Foundation, and since then, the purple butterfly symbol has been adopted in hospitals around the world. It now appears in many forms—on incubators, cards, blankets, stuffed animals, and ornaments. It brings comfort to grieving families and helps prevent painful misunderstandings.

On April 29, 2022, The Skye High Foundation shared a touching tribute: “Happy 6th Birthday to Callie and Skye. Six whole years since we welcomed you to the world.” Today, Callie is a joyful, spirited seven-year-old, and Skye’s memory lives on through every purple butterfly that offers quiet comfort to families experiencing loss.

Millie continues to advocate for greater awareness and support systems for grieving parents. “I can’t stop these tragedies from happening,” she said, “but we can make the journey a little more bearable. A simple sticker can go a long way. This is the hardest thing anyone will ever face.”

Losing a child at any age is one of the most painful things a parent can endure. But thanks to Millie Smith and her strength, families all over the world are finding solace in a small symbol that says so much—a purple butterfly.

Please share this story so others will understand the powerful meaning behind that tiny purple butterfly next to a newborn.