Mikayla Raines, Creator Behind Save a Fox
Ethan Raines, husband of YouTuber and Save a Fox founder Mikayla Raines, shared heartbreaking news of her passing in an emotional video on June 23, 2025.
He revealed that Mikayla, who had long struggled with depression and borderline personality disorder, died by suicide after enduring years of online bullying and personal pain.
“She was deeply sensitive,” Ethan said, “and while that made her incredibly empathetic, it also meant she absorbed every cruel word.”
Despite years of attacks—some from others in the animal rescue world—Mikayla continued her mission to rescue foxes and educate the public. But this time, Ethan explained, “it went too far.”
Mikayla’s death triggered an outpouring of grief online.
Fans, fellow rescuers, and supporters praised her compassion, strength, and the legacy she leaves behind—both through her rescue work and her daughter, Freya.
Mikayla’s passion began at age 15 after meeting her first fox. She later left college to dedicate her life to saving animals, eventually rescuing hundreds, including a large-scale operation to shut down a fur farm. Though she’s gone, her mission lives on through.
SaveAFox YouTuber Mikayla Raines’ Death at Age 29 Confirmed by Police
The Rice County Sheriff’s office in Minnesota has confirmed the death of SaveAFox YouTuber Mikayla Raines. She was 29.
The office responded to a request from Us Weekly for investigative information around Raines’ death in a letter on Friday, June 27, saying records related to the matter are “active criminal investigative data.” It could not offer a timeline for when more details will be released.
An obituary posted to legacy.com said Raines died on Saturday, June 21.
Raines’ husband, Ethan, shared the news on Monday, June 23, that his wife died by suicide after experiencing online bullying. In a video posted to SaveAFox Rescue’s YouTube channel, he cited “ridiculous claims and rumors” being spread about her online.
“She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life,” Ethan said. “It breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”
He continued, “And 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 see me find her and I wish you had to watch me perform CPR on her for 15 minutes until the first responders arrived. And I wish you had to watch helplessly as paramedics attempted to revive her lifeless body. And I wish you had to hear the screams and the cries of her family.”
Mikayla’s obituary also detailed her work, saying she began helping wildlife, specifically foxes, in her late teens and grew her following on social media as she began to find success. When she was 20, she formed SaveAFox rescue, a non-profit that “rescued foxes from fur farms, helped rehabilitate those with injuries or birth defects, and adopted foxes to other facilities with similar licenses.”
In the caption to the video, also shared via the SaveAFox Instagram page, Ethan said he would do his best to continue his late wife’s work.
“Mikayla was truly the most amazing and inspiring individual I have ever known, and not having her here makes everything feel empty,” he wrote. “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 SaveAFox YouTube page is currently running a fundraiser to save more than 500 foxes from a fur farm. As of this writing, it has raised over $146,000, with a goal of reaching $700,000.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.