YouTuber and founder of Save A Fox rescue, Mikayla Raines, has died after taking her own life.
The shocking news was broken by her husband, Ethan Raines, in a video uploaded to the Save A Fox YouTube channel on June 23, leaving viewers heartbroken.
Ethan gave a tearful, eleven-minute long statement detailing Mikayla’s hard work with the various animals at her rescue, which included everything from foxes to pine martens, jackals, and more.
He also clarified that Mikayla struggled with conditions like autism, depression and borderline personality disorder, explaining that she was “always in and out of different kinds of therapy” to help her cope, trying “various mood stabilizers and meds.”
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“Nothing really seemed to help,” Ethan said. “Simple tasks were hard for her. Looking at her from the outside, you could never tell what was going on in her head, but even just socializing would send her over the edge.”
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Save A Fox founder was victim of harassment campaign
At this point, her husband revealed that Mikayla had been the victim of harassment online from people she knew in her personal life, as well as other animal sanctuaries.
“They consistently spread ridiculous claims and rumors, and being the sensitive human that she was, Mikayla took it all to heart,” he explained. “And it hurt her. It hurt her a lot. For years, she pushed through the pain of people trying to bring her down.
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“…But this time, it went too far. She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and she ended her life. It breaks my heart that someone who was selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”
“Why?” he asked, through tears. “That’s all I can ask, is why?”
Mikayla leaves behind Ethan and their toddler daughter, Freya, as well as numerous animals she was caring for in the Save a Fox rescue.
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Fans and fellow animal lovers were left completely devastated by the unexpected news, with one writing on Instagram: “Our rescue community has lost such a unique and driven soul. Ethan, it was incredibly brave and admirable of you to share this yourself – our hearts and prayers are with you, sweet Freya, and the entire SAF family.”
“If only she knew the IMMENSE IMPACT of her soul…I cannot understand the brutality of this culture… Shocked to the core. Never give up-what you have achieved is so vital,” another said.
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Ethan promised that he would continue to run the rescue in his wife’s stead, promising to honor her legacy in the work that was so important to her and the animals in her care.
Save A Fox is a 501c3 Non-profit Fox Rescue with locations in Minnesota and Florida. The Save a Fox YouTube channel was created in December 2009 and has accrued over 2 million subscribers.
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If you or somebody you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to the Samaritans (116 123) in the United Kingdom, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) in the USA. For a list of worldwide hotlines, click here.
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