What happened with Mikayla Raines? SaveAFox drama explored in the wake of the founder's death at 29

YouTuber, author, and animal rescue activist Mikayla Raines, best known as the founder of the Minnesota-based non-profit SaveAFox, passed away recently at the age of 29. Her husband, Ethan Raines, shared the news on the @saveafox_rescue page on Instagram and its corresponding YouTube channel on June 23, 2025.

Titled, “Rest in peace, Mikayla,” the post mentioned that Ms. Raines died by suicide, after dealing with years of alleged online harassment and mental health issues, such as depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder.

“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,” the video post was captioned.

The post saw a teary-eyed Ethan Raines claiming that his wife’s death came after strangers, as well as people they knew from the animal rescue community, “consistently spread ridiculous claims and rumors” and tried to “bring her down.”

For the unaware, Mikayla Raines’ SaveAFox is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and caring for foxes and other exotic animals, birds, and reptiles from fur farms, pet surrenders, and hoarding situations.

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More about Mikayla Raines’ demise

Ethan Raines announced the death of his wife, Mikayla Raines, on Monday via video posts on SaveAFox’s social media handles. He began by issuing a parental advisory and trigger warnings, adding that the clip might be unsuitable for children and sensitive adults.

Ethan also mentioned that he didn’t have “approval from the board” of SaveAFox to make the post, nor did he ever think he’d have to make such a video. However, he had to convey what was on his mind.

According to Mr. Raines, Mikayla passed away a “couple of days ago,” describing it as “devastating” and the “most hurtful, difficult phase of my life.”

“Mikayla was the most bright and shining example of what you could accomplish if you really set your mind to something. She was never held back by ideas that everyone else considered unrealistic,” Ethan stated.

He continued:

“As many of you know, she was on the autism spectrum. And while that made her life very difficult, it allowed her to hyper-focus on one thing, and that one thing was obviously animals.”

Mr. Raines shared that from a young age, Mikayla was “dedicated” to helping animals, including incidents where she helped a “snapping turtle cross the road” or saved 500 foxes from a “terrible fur farm.” Ethan explained that his late wife was “never in it for fame, money, or personal gain.”

Rather, she was one of the most selfless people ever who put the needs of animals over her own. Mikayla Raines would try to make “lasting connections” with all kinds of species, whom Ethan claimed “just lost their best friend.”

He added that despite years of therapy and taking medications for her mental health conditions, Mikayla continued to struggle with daily life and emotional regulation.

“Nothing really seemed to help. 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,” Ethan noted.

According to the father of one, Mikayla Raines’ condition worsened due to alleged online harassment from close friends, other animal rescuers, and strangers.

“Being the sensitive human that she was, Mikayla took it all to heart. And it hurt her. It hurt her a lot. For years, she pushed through the pain of people trying to bring her down… But this time, it went too far. She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and she ended her life,” Ethan said.

He condemned people who attempted to damage Mikayla Raines’ reputation and her devotion to the animal rescue community, claiming the “negativity” ended her, calling it heartbreaking. At the same time, he gave a shoutout to people who had supported Mikayla and SaveAFox over the years with their messages, letters, paintings, and more.

Ethan, who describes himself as a “Father, husband, animal rescuer, car-builder, handyman, video editor, toilet clogger” in his Instagram bio, questioned why his wife had to die untimely. He also informed Mikayla's followers that he tried to save her by performing CPR before emergency responders arrived, but ultimately failed.

In the 12-minute video, he pledged to continue with his wife’s legacy of not only rescuing but also advocating for animals. He also sought privacy for his family at the time of this tragedy.

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Mikayla Raines is now survived by Ethan and their daughter, Freya. In a September 2021 Instagram post, the deceased YouTuber praised her husband for the effort he put “into this rescue with me,” adding he was as much running SaveAFox as she was.

She was born in March 1996 and began volunteering for a wildlife rehabilitator at the age of 15. Later, in 2016, the licensed animal rehabilitator and veterinary technician founded SaveAFox in Minnesota, which became the USA’s largest fox rescue. The nonprofit firm now also operates in Florida.

Mikayla Raines also ran a YouTube channel dedicated to her cause that had 2.43 million subscribers. It featured the lives of rescued foxes, including the famous Finnegan Fox and Dixie Do, among others.

Edited by DEEPALI