MINNESOTA, USA — The animal rescue neighborhood is in mourning following the tragic dying of Mikayla Raines, a beloved wildlife activist and founding father of SaveAFox Rescue, who died by suicide. She was 29 years outdated.
Her husband, Ethan Raines, confirmed the heartbreaking information in an emotional video posted to Mikayla’s broadly adopted YouTube channel on Monday.
“She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and he or she ended her life,” Ethan mentioned tearfully. “It breaks my coronary heart that somebody who was so selfless and devoted her life to animals may have a lot negativity pointed at her.”
Raines, who created SaveAFox Rescue in 2017 at simply 20 years outdated, was broadly recognized for her dedication to rescuing and rehabilitating foxes from fur farms. Her nonprofit, based mostly in Lakeville, Minnesota, has saved greater than 150 foxes, in response to the group’s web site.
The social media star amassed over 2.4 million followers on YouTube, the place she documented life on the rescue and shared academic content material about wildlife and fox care. Her daughter, Freya, additionally steadily appeared in her movies.
Ethan revealed that Mikayla had lengthy battled psychological well being challenges and was deeply impacted by on-line criticism and cyberbullying.
“To these of you that pushed her to this,” he mentioned, “I want you needed to really feel what she felt. I want you needed to really feel what I really feel.”
Ethan mentioned he carried out CPR for quarter-hour earlier than paramedics arrived however was unable to avoid wasting her.
Regardless of the devastating loss, he vowed to proceed Mikayla’s mission.
“I cannot let Mikayla’s gentle be extinguished. I received’t let negativity win. I received’t let her mission disintegrate,” he mentioned. “So long as you help us at SaveAFox, we’ll preserve pushing ahead — for Mikayla.”
He additionally urged anybody scuffling with suicidal ideas to hunt assist and reminded households and mates to examine in on their family members.
Raines leaves behind her husband, her younger daughter Freya, and a legacy of compassion and advocacy for unvoiced animals.
