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USA Today
26-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Mom of YouTuber Mikayla Raines remembers her daughter's relentless fight to save animals
"She made such an impact, even though she struggled so much," Sandi Raines, Mikayla's mother, told USA TODAY. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at Sandi Raines says her daughter was driven by an unrelenting passion to care for animals, inspiring millions of internet users along the way. "All her mind ever said was, 'I got to find places for these animals,'" she said of her late daughter, Mikayla Raines, known to the internet as the face of Save a Fox Rescue and for her fox friend, Finnegan. Raines died by suicide on Friday, June 20, her mother said. The 30-year-old fox rescuer based in southeast Minnesota died by suicide as a result of mental illness and harassment she faced from other animal rescuers online, her husband Ethan Frankamp said in a video shared with more than 2.4 million subscribers on Raines' YouTube channel Monday, June 23. For the majority of her life, Raines dealt with autism, depression and borderline personality disorder, Frankamp said in his video. Raines often found herself in dark moments of elongated sadness she couldn't understand, Sandi said. "She made such an impact, even though she struggled so much," Sandi told USA TODAY through choked up tears on Wednesday. In 2017, Raines established her nonprofit, Save a Fox Rescue, located in Rice County, Minnesota. With the intention of saving foxes from the fur trade industry, the rescue had saved "thousands" foxes since opening, Sandi said. In 2020, Raines and her team opened a second Save a Fox location in Lake County, Florida. Before her death, Raines had been working with a fur farmer to rehab and rehome about 500 foxes, Sandi said. In 2024, Raines spent about $1 million moving 400 foxes from the farm and getting them the proper care they needed. About 100 foxes remained in need of care at the time of her death, Sandi said. "It had really been wearing on her," Sandi said. "She would sit here and she'd go, 'Mom, I feel like I've failed. I only found homes for 400 of these foxes,' and I'm like, 'Mikayla, do you understand that people that are even in good health ... to be able to do what you have done in 16 months? Do not beat yourself up. We'll get this done.' But it was so wearing on her and every time she loses any animal it was just so hard on her." Raines didn't stray away from discussing the weight of operating the rescue. In a social media video posted in December 2024, Raines told followers she "didn't think I can handle it," after the death of one of the rescue's beloved foxes, Felix. "When I was younger and a fox would pass away, obviously I would take it really hard, but I would bounce back, but I think just like all the trauma of loss over the years, like I'm just not bouncing back anymore," Raines said through tears in the video. "I don't feel passion or happiness or drive to keep going. I just feel a lot of pain." A celebration of life will be held for Raines on July 12 at Save a Fox, where her ashes will also be scattered, Sandi told USA TODAY. An everlasting love for animals Mikayla was introduced to wild animals through Sandi, who was a licensed wildlife rehabber throughout Mikayla's childhood. Sandi said Mikayla had an "unbelievable" relationship with animals, able to "walk up to a wild deer and talk to it." Sandi, who is now 76, said it was a surprise when she gave birth to Mikayla at age 46. She said she found herself turning to God, questioning why she gave birth at an older age. But her daughter's passion for animals made it all make sense. "And I would think, 'I know why you're here now,'" Sandi told USA TODAY. When Mikayla was about 16, she and her mother took in a baby wild fox. Naming the critter Finnegan, the fox has been prominent throughout Mikayla's social media content. Sandi said Mikayla even taught Finnegan how to use a dog pee pad inside. "She'd get off the school bus and the fox (Finnegan) would run out of the woods and see her off the bus," Sandi said through tears. Fans, animal rescue community mourn loss, start petition In the days since Frankamp's video went live, countless fans of Raines' and other animal rescues throughout the country have shared their condolences online. In addition to messages of support, thousands of users have signed an online petition to shut down internet communities created for the purpose of bashing public figures and in many cases, female influencers. As of June 26, more than 15,700 people had signed the petition, asking Reddit to provide stricter policies around hateful content. "Reddit condemns hate, harassment, and bullying, and explicitly prohibits this behavior in our sitewide rules," a Reddit spokesperson told USA TODAY. "Our dedicated internal safety teams enforce these rules, including banning users and subreddits, using a combination of automated tooling and human review." Leaving behind a loving husband, young daughter Outside of her beloved animals, Raines' immediate circle included Frankamp, who she had been married to since December 2020, Sandi said, and her 3-year-old daughter Freya. Sandi said Raines and Frankamp met at the rescue – he was a volunteer − and also got married there. "I thank God so much when he came into her life because he took over where I left off," Sandi said. "His love and concern for her was like my love and concern for her." "He loved her so much," she said. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
USA Today
25-06-2025
- USA Today
Mikayla Raines, animal rescue YouTuber, dies by suicide, husband says in video
"Despite her pouring out all of her love for the animals, she still found some love to give to me," Mikayla's husband Ethan said in a YouTube video. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at Mikayla Raines, an animal rescuer who shared her work on YouTube, has died by suicide, her husband Ethan Raines shared on Monday. In a nearly 12-minute video titled, "An unimaginable loss for the rescue," Ethan said Mikayla had taken her life as a result of mental illness and harassment she faced online. Since 2009, Raines had maintained a YouTube channel for her animal rescue, Save a Fox Rescue, located in Rice County, Minnesota. The channel's following grew to more than 2.4 million subscribers. "Mikayla was the most bright and shining example of what you could accomplish if you really set your mind to something," Ethan said in the video. "She was never held back by ideas everyone else considered unrealistic." Ethan explained in the video that in recent years, people online, including owners of other animal rescues, had begun to spread "claims and rumors" about Mikayla and Save a Fox. "Being the sensitive human that she was, Mikayla took it all to heart. And it hurt her. It hurt her a lot," Ethan said. "If you only have negative garbage to say, just shut up. And if you are feeling lost and hopeless, please reach out to someone, whether it's friends and family or calling a hotline." USA TODAY has reached out to the Rice County Sheriff's Office for more information about Mikayla's death. Who was Mikayla Raines? Mikayla established her nonprofit, Save a Fox, in 2017, with the intention of saving foxes from the fur trade industry. According to the rescue's website, the rescue has saved about 150 foxes from death over the past eight years. Once foxes are brought into the rescue and nursed back to health, many were available for adoption. Save a Fox also works with cats and minks. In addition to sharing videos of how to care for various animals, Mikayla discussed living with autism on social media. Mikayla also suffered from depression and borderline personality disorder, Ethan said in the YouTube video. She spent years in and out of different kinds of therapy, trying various different types of medication, he added. "She put the animals' wellbeing over her own time and time again. She would forgo sleep, eating and showering if there was an animal that needed her help. Despite her pouring out all of her love for the animals, she still found some love to give to me," Ethan said in the video, while choking up. Mikayla was also a mother of a young daughter named Freya. Animal rescue community mourns loss Since Ethan's YouTube video posted on Monday, countless followers and animal rescues across the country have shared their condolences. "This week, the rescue world lost a bright light. Mikayla didn't just rescue animals – she moved mountains for them," South Carolina based KJ Farms Animal Rescue wrote in a social media post on Monday. KJ Farms explained in the post that Mikayla has recently started a financial campaign for Save a Fox to rescue about 500 foxes from a fox farm. But Mikayla's efforts to save the foxes was met with online criticism. "Anyone in rescue knows what it feels like to say, 'Yes,' from your heart, even when your head is screaming, 'How?' She scrambled for space. For homes. For medical help. For funding. And when things got hard, the judgment rolled in faster than the support ever did," KJ Farms wrote. "Some of the very people who should've stood by her – other rescuers – joined the mob instead." The campaign remains on the Save a Fox website and YouTube channel. As of June 24, more than 117,000 had been raised, of a $700,000 goal. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
YouTube Star Mikayla Raines Dies by Suicide at 29. 'She Couldn't Bear What She Was Feeling,' Says Husband
Fox rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines has died at the age of 29 Her husband Ethan confirmed the news in an Instagram video on Monday, June 23 He noted that he planned to "continue her dream" of saving foxes and other animals "in her name"Fox rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines has died. Her husband Ethan confirmed the news in an emotional video on Instagram on Monday, June 23, and shared that the 29-year-old Save a Fox founder died by suicide 'a couple days ago." "She couldn't bear what she was feeling any more," he said, adding that her death is "the biggest loss of my life." In the caption of the video, Ethan wrote, 'We have suffered a loss that is unimaginable. Mikayla was truly the most amazing and inspiring individual I have ever known, and not having her here makes everything feel empty. I feel broken.' 'But I will continue her dream, and I hope to have your support going forward so that we can do good in her name,' he added. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to the video, Mikayla also leaves behind a daughter called Freya. PEOPLE has reached out to a contact for Raines for comment. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to Read the original article on People
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
YouTube Star Mikayla Raines Dies by Suicide at 29. 'She Couldn't Bear What She Was Feeling,' Says Husband
Fox rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines has died at the age of 29 Her husband Ethan confirmed the news in an Instagram video on Monday, June 23 He noted that he planned to "continue her dream" of saving foxes and other animals "in her name"Fox rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines has died. Her husband Ethan confirmed the news in an emotional video on Instagram on Monday, June 23, and shared that the 29-year-old Save a Fox founder died by suicide 'a couple days ago." "She couldn't bear what she was feeling any more," he said, adding that her death is "the biggest loss of my life." In the caption of the video, Ethan wrote, 'We have suffered a loss that is unimaginable. Mikayla was truly the most amazing and inspiring individual I have ever known, and not having her here makes everything feel empty. I feel broken.' 'But I will continue her dream, and I hope to have your support going forward so that we can do good in her name,' he added. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to the video, Mikayla also leaves behind a daughter called Freya. PEOPLE has reached out to a contact for Raines for comment. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to Read the original article on People
