SaveAFox Founder Mikayla Raines Dies At 29 By Suicide

Wildlife rescue and the YouTube community are reeling from a heartbreaking tragedy. Mikayla Raines, the beloved founder of SaveAFox wildlife rescue and animal sanctuary, has died by suicide at 29. Her husband, Ethan Raines, announced the sad news in a gut-wrenching video on SaveAFox's official social media channels.

A viral sensation during her lifetime for her endless work rescuing and rehabilitating captive-born foxes, Mikayla spent her life giving a voice to the voiceless. Her touching "Fox and The Hound" videos, showcasing pet-like rescued foxes, brought smiles to millions of faces and alerted people to the ethical concerns regarding exotic animals. Just months before Hatch's death, a grateful budding YouTuber thanked the friendly fox keeper for her videos that constantly distracted her during the most difficult times. But offstage, the cost of ceaseless online harassment became too much for her to handle.

In a YouTube video, Ethan broke down in tears as he described the horror he, his wife, and his daughter had been through in the lead-up to Mikayla's death and how she had been suffering in silence while being subjected to waves of cyberbullying and cruelty. "This time it went too far," he said. "She couldn't bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life."

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The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of sorrow from fans, fellow animal advocates, and supporters who considered Mikayla a guiding light of compassion. Ethan, choking on his tears, spoke of the rage he feels toward those anonymous abusers who played a part in his wife's mental torment. "To those of you that pushed her to this, 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." Mikayla is survived by Ethan and their infant daughter, Freya. The couple sunk their hearts into SaveAFox, growing it from a tiny rescue into one of the most well-known names in wildlife sanctuaries. Mikayla's work not only saved animals but also changed lives.

Her death is a reminder of the ugly side of internet culture, where even those spreading light and love can become the target of an endless stream of hate. It also refocuses urgent discussions about raising more awareness over mental health and the human toll of digital cruelty. Mikayla's spirit will now spread through the foxes she saved, the people she reached, and the mission she devoted everything to. In clinging to her legacy, we must take animals and the people who defend them under our wing.