In the BTS fandom, fans have long found meaningful ways to support one another, celebrate shared memories, and honour those who are no longer here. One particularly moving tribute has seen ARMY members around the world carrying small turquoise pebbles to BTS concerts in memory of Abby, ensuring that her love for the group continues wherever their music is celebrated.
Abby’s Pebbles was created by her mother, Jamie Elder, following Abby’s death in 2024. The initiative began as a simple but powerful idea: to symbolically take Abby to the places she had dreamed of visiting but never had the chance to experience.
Each pebble is turquoise blue, Abby’s favourite colour, and serves as a reminder that although she is gone, her journey continues through the kindness of others.
ARMY attending concerts across the world have been taking Abby’s Pebbles with them, photographing them at venues and sharing their journeys online. Some have even created special concert freebies featuring the turquoise pebbles, allowing more fans to learn Abby’s story and take part in honouring her memory.
The tribute reflects not only Abby’s love for BTS but also the sense of community that has become synonymous with the global fandom.
Abby became a BTS fan in 2017. Like many ARMY, she found joy in their music, performances, and messages of hope and self-love. She was passionate about dance, having studied ballet while enjoying many different styles. She also learned BTS choreography, combining two of her greatest interests. Music was another important part of her life, and she enjoyed playing the piano as well as singing.
Abby was always eager to learn. She was studying Korean and Japanese, teaching herself to read and write both languages while constantly challenging herself to improve. Outside of music, she loved anime and enjoyed cosplaying characters from her favourite series.
Although Abby considered herself OT7, appreciating every member of BTS equally, she related most closely to V. Even so, she never liked singling out one member above the others, believing that each of the seven artists contributed something unique that made BTS special.
Her ambitions extended far beyond her hobbies. Abby dreamed of owning a motorbike and had planned to enrol on an emergency medical technician (EMT) programme with the goal of becoming a paramedic. She approached everything with determination and always strove to be the best she could be.
Since launching Abby’s Pebbles, Jamie Elder has received messages from people around the world explaining how the project has helped them through grief, encouraged conversations about mental health, or simply reminded them that they are not alone. With many fans expressing how they felt touched to receive an Abby’s pebble.
For many BTS ARMY attending concerts, carrying a turquoise pebble has become far more than bringing along a small keepsake. It is a way of ensuring that Abby’s love for BTS continues to travel the world, allowing her to be present, in spirit, at the concerts. With every turquoise pebble carried into a stadium, Abby’s story continues, one concert at a time.
Alongside creating Abby’s Pebbles, Jamie Elder has become a passionate advocate for suicide prevention and mental health awareness on social media. Through sharing Abby’s story with honesty and compassion, she has created a supportive online community where people feel able to talk openly about grief, loss, and their own mental health struggles.
If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time and experiencing thoughts of self harm/suicide, there are helplines available. If you are in the UK Samaritans are free to call, and are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year on 116 123. You can also find a tool for finding worldwide hotlines and centres at Befrienders Worldwide