When Millie Smith and Lewis Cann discovered they were expecting twin girls, their joy was quickly overshadowed by heartbreak — only one of their daughters would survive.
Millie gave birth to identical twins, Callie and Skye, on April 30 after a high-risk pregnancy that ended at just 30 weeks. Skye lived for only three hours.
In the quiet, clinical setting of the NICU, Callie remained in her incubator under the watchful gaze of her heartbroken parents — alone without her sister. Despite their grief, they faced another painful moment when an exhausted mother of healthy twins jokingly told Millie how “lucky” she was to have just one baby. The innocent comment shattered her.
That was the moment Millie realized that something had to change — that grieving parents shouldn’t have to explain their loss to strangers. Then, she saw the purple butterfly — and Skye’s legacy took shape.
A Devastating Diagnosis
Millie and Lewis first became parents in November 2015. Just weeks after learning they were expecting twins, doctors delivered devastating news: one of the babies had anencephaly, a fatal neural tube defect. The diagnosis came during a scan where the sonographer’s silence said more than words.
According to the CDC, anencephaly affects roughly 1 in every 4,600 births in the U.S. Nearly all affected infants die shortly after birth.
Despite the diagnosis, the couple chose to carry both babies. “We knew Skye needed a name before she was born,” Millie said. “Knowing she might only survive a few moments, I wanted her to be named during that time.”
They named their daughters Skye and Callie — Skye, to symbolize a place they could always look to and remember her.
A Brief, Beautiful Goodbye
On April 30, Millie underwent an emergency C-section. The couple was supported by a bereavement midwife and placed in a “Daisy Room” — a space where families can spend time with their baby before and after death.
To their surprise, both twins cried at birth — a sound they were told Skye would likely never make. Millie and Lewis were able to hold their daughter for three precious hours before she passed away in their arms.
“It was the worst moment of our lives,” Millie said. “But I’m proud she fought to spend that time with us.”
A Comment That Sparked a Movement
Callie remained in the NICU alongside two other sets of twins. While most of the nurses knew the story, as time passed, the conversation around Skye faded.
That’s when another mother, unaware of Millie’s loss, made the offhand comment about being “lucky” to only have one baby. Though meant in jest, it pierced through Millie’s heart. “They didn’t know I once had two. But the comment nearly broke me.”
She left the room in tears, unable to explain — and that moment inspired her to take action.
The Birth of the Purple Butterfly Initiative
Millie designed a poster and a simple purple butterfly sticker to be placed on incubators. The message was clear: a baby who was part of a multiple birth had lost their sibling. The color purple was chosen because it is gender-neutral, and the butterfly — a symbol of fragile beauty — represented the babies who had “flown away.”
From that seed of grief, the Purple Butterfly Initiative was born.
Through the Skye High Foundation, Millie’s idea has spread across hospitals around the world, offering comfort and understanding to grieving families and preventing painful misunderstandings.
Carrying Skye’s Memory Forward
Today, Callie is seven years old — full of life, laughter, and love. Her twin sister’s legacy lives on through butterfly cards, support programs, and awareness campaigns that bring light to the darkness of infant loss.
The foundation now offers a wide range of purple butterfly merchandise, from cards to keepsakes, helping to raise awareness and provide healing to parents facing unimaginable grief.
“Nothing will ever stop these tragedies,” Millie said, “but small acts of compassion — like these stickers — can make a world of difference. It’s the hardest thing anyone will ever go through.”
Thanks to Millie Smith, Skye’s brief life continues to leave a lasting impact — helping families around the world feel seen, supported, and not alone.
