The symbol became widely known after a mother named Millie Smith lost one of her twin daughters shortly after birth. Her surviving daughter remained in intensive care, where an innocent comment from another parent about twins caused unexpected pain.
Millie realized that a simple symbol could prevent similar misunderstandings. The butterfly was chosen to represent a baby who had “flown away,” while purple was selected as a gender-neutral color.
Today, the purple butterfly is used in some hospitals as a compassionate reminder to speak gently and respectfully around families who have experienced the loss of a baby during a multiple pregnancy.
