Content warning: This story discusses suicide
The wildlife and online community is mourning the loss of one of its biggest stars.
Mikayla Raines, founder of SaveAFox rescue and animal sanctuary has died by suicide, her husband Ethan Raines confirmed. She was 29.
Ethan shared the news in an emotional video posted to the rescue’s social media pages where he detailed how his wife struggled with cruelty she faced online.
“This time it went too far she couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life,” Ethan—who shares daughter Freya, with Mikayla—said through tears in a video shared to the rescue’s social media platforms June 23. “And it breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”
"To those of you that pushed her to this,” Ethan, who said he had attempted CPR on his wife for 15 minutes before paramedics arrived, continued, “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."
Reflecting on the joy she brought to the world, Ethan added, “In a world that’s filled with darkness she was just light.”
Beyond her commitment to animals, Ethan highlighted how Mikayla found time to educate the online community about her mental health struggles, amid her personal battle.
“Looking at her from the outside you could never tell what was going on in her head,” he shared. “But even just socializing would send her over the edge. If you followed her personal page, she loved helping people, educating about the problems she and others faced on a daily basis.”
“She was so sensitive to everything” he added. “Which is a double edge sword because on one hand it allowed her endless empathy for those in her care, but it also means that she took everything negative to heart.”
But despite “ridiculous claims and rumors” about her online. Mikayla kept on her mission of saving and rescuing as many animals as she could.
“She pushed through for years,” Ethan said. “She pushed through the pain of people trying to bring her down and the mental challenges that she faced. And she still rescued hundreds of animals and changed the lives of so many.”
Acknowledging the impact she had on so many around her, Ethan noted that there would be a public service at the sanctuary to honor his late wife’s memory. And through his grief, he vowed to keep her mission and legacy alive at the Minnesota-based facility.
“She was not just a rescuer but an advocate,” Ethan said through tears. “Her legacy is SaveAFox and despite her being the most important part of that, I’m not going to let it stop here. I will do whatever I can to see SaveAFox keep moving forward to save as many lives as possible.”
“As long as you guys continue to support all us here at SaveAFox, I will keep pushing forward,” he added. “I’m confident we can bring more light to this world, and we’ll be doing it for Mikayla.”