Community gathers to remember babies gone too soon

JACKSON, Tenn.– Butterfly’s Embrace Memorial is an event held by the Jackson Madison County General Hospital to remember babies gone too soon.

They held a memorial service and released butterflies in honor of the children to show that life does carry on.

“Their loss might of been you know 20 years ago but this is still important to them they get to come in this scared place,” says Leigh Ann Sutton, prenatal bereavement social worker. “They get to say what their baby name is and what impact that baby had in their life.”

Families are able to connect with others who have gone through similar experiences.

“I think the biggest part of our program is that the connection with other families means that they are supported and they’re loved.”

Leigh Ann meets families when they enter the hospital and have been told that their baby will not survive delivery, or have already miscarried.

“It’s really not a job any longer, it’s just a passion. It’s a way of connecting with families and it’s more of a way to show them that there’s positivity even in the worst moments of their life. ”

Parents at the service talked about why they come to the event every year.

“It’s important because we lost a child, and it’s celebrating their life to let everyone know that they are not forgotten and they never will be forgotten,” said Laterrika Compton, a mother who lost her daughter 6 years ago.