YouTube star and animal rights activist Mikayla Raines has died by suicide, according to her husband who shared the news in an emotional video on her channel. She was 29.
Ethan Raines shared that Mikayla had suffered from various mental health struggles over the years and had issues dealing with online criticism and negative comments.
“She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and she ended her life,” he said in the video posted to her YouTube channel. “And it breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her. And to those of you that pushed her to this, every one of you that had been responsible for making her feel this way, I wish you had to feel what she felt. I wish you had to feel what I feel.”
Mikayla focused her efforts on animal activism and created the rescue nonprofit SaveAFox Rescue in 2017. She was just 20 years old at the time. The nonprofit is based Faribault, Minnesota, and works to rescue foxes from fur farms while also helping them find their “forever home.” The organization also works to save other animals including mink and cats.
Her SaveAFox Youtube channel grew to a following of over 2.4 million subscribers. She also amassed over 500k followers on her Instagram. Unfortunately, Mikayla had to deal with internet trolls, which her husband Ethan says impacted her mental heath.
Ethan advocated for others who are struggling with their own mental health to reach out to friends, family or a crisis hotline. He also told family members of those who are dealing with mental health problems to “do something or say something before it’s too late.”
“Despite this being the biggest loss of my life and feeling like I have a literal hole in my chest,” he said. “I will not let Mikayla’s light be extinguished, and I won’t let negativity win, and I won’t let her mission fall apart. As long as you guys will continue to support all of us here at SaveAFox, we will keep pushing forward. I’m confident we can bring more light to this world, and we’ll be doing it for Mikay.”
Mikayla leaves behind her husband Ethan and their daughter Freya.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988 is a free, 24/7 confidential service that can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, or those around them, with support, information and local resources.
