On June 23, 2025, Ethan Raines shared the heartbreaking news that his wife, Mikayla Raines—founder of Save a Fox and beloved YouTuber—had died by suicide after a long battle with depression and borderline personality disorder.
“She felt everything so deeply,” Ethan said through tears. “That’s what made her so compassionate—but also so vulnerable to the cruelty she faced online.” Despite relentless bullying, including from others in the rescue world, Mikayla never stopped fighting for the animals she loved. But this time, Ethan said, “it went too far.”
Mikayla’s death sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans and fellow rescuers, remembering her as a kind soul who gave her life to saving foxes and educating others.
Her journey began at 15 when she met her first fox. She eventually left college to pursue rescue work full time, even helping shut down a fur farm. Though she’s gone, Mikayla’s legacy lives on—in the animals she saved, the hearts she touched, and in her young daughter, Freya.
