Latest news with #SaveaFoxRescue
Scottish Sun
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
YouTuber Mikayla Raines' husband fights back tears as he shares unseen family moments weeks after her sudden death
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE husband of YouTuber and animal rescue enthusiast Mikayla Raines struggled to hold back tears as he shared a montage of unseen moments featuring his late wife. Mikayla, the founder of SaveFox Rescue, died by suicide last month at the age of 29. 4 Mikayla Raines husband, Ethan, thanked fans for their well-wishes following his wife's death Credit: Instagram 4 Mikayla, 29, died by suicide Credit: Instagram She died in Faribault, Minnesota, on June 20 and left behind devastated husband Ethan, and their daughter, Freya. In a YouTube video uploaded July 27, Ethan thanked fans for their support in what he described as the 'hardest time' for everyone at the animal rescue organization. The video was also shared on the SaveaFox Rescue Instagram page, with the caption describing Mikayla as someone who was "purely glowing and one in a trillion." "I hope you can enjoy seeing Mikayla in some of these candid clips. She truly was a radiant positive energy," her family's post said. "A pure glowing individual; one in a trillion. A piece of me that I'll never get back." Ethan's voice cracked and he struggled to hold back tears as he thanked people for their letters and flowers following Mikayla's death. 'I know that you all saw her as a hero to the animals but she was a lot more than that,' he said. 'She wasn't just an animal rescuer, she was an advocate and an educator and a daughter and a sister and a mother - a mother not just to Freya but she was a surrogate as well. 'She was an artist and she was a really great singer and she was a lot of things that most people didn't get to see.' Through tears, Ethan said the memorial montage was 'hard to watch,' but said it's worth watching. YouTube fox rescue star Mikayla Raines dies by suicide aged 29 as tearful husband Ethan blasts online bullying campaign In the 20-minute montage, Mikayla was seen stroking tortoises and beaming at home. The clip featured snapshots from Christmas celebrations and days at the theme park. In one clip, Mikayla was seen balancing on the back of the horse with her arms raised as it galloped in an open field. The montage also featured tender moments Mikayla spent with her daughter in the park and gym. Footage captured Mikayla feeding animals and cuddling foxes. Ethan said he will never recover from Mikayla's death. 'But, I'm so glad we all were gifted these many years with her,' he wrote online. Ethan previously spoke about how he felt broken after his wife's death. He compared it to a loss that was 'unimaginable' and described Mikayla as 'the most amazing and inspiring individual.' She was an artist and she was a really great singer and she was a lot of things that most people didn't get to see Mikayla Raines' husband Ethan spent 15 minutes trying to revive Mikayla before paramedics arrived on the scene. He said Freya was left 'heartbroken' by her mom's death. Ethan recalled how his wife had been subject to internet trolls before her death and spoke about the impact it had. "[Mikayla] felt as if the entire world had turned against her,' he said. Mikayla's passion for wildlife stemmed from a young age. On her website, she revealed her mother was a rehabilitator, and she raised her first baby fox at 15. She studied in a veterinary technician program while at college. A local media report from 2016 described Mikayla as a "fox whisperer." "I think I can kind of relate to them: They're shy in crowds, it takes them awhile to get used to strangers,' she told The St. Paul Pioneer Press. But, she founded the SaveaFox rescue center in 2017 and revealed that the organization had saved around 150 foxes from death. The SaveaFox YouTube page has almost 2.5 million subscribers. 4 A tender moment captured Mikayla stroking a fox while another was on her shoulders Credit: YouTube 4 She was an avid wildlife enthusiast Credit: Instagram / @saveafox_rescue If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
The Irish Sun
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
YouTuber Mikayla Raines' husband fights back tears as he shares unseen family moments weeks after her sudden death
THE husband of YouTuber and animal rescue enthusiast Mikayla Raines struggled to hold back tears as he shared a montage of unseen moments featuring his late wife. Mikayla, the founder of SaveFox Rescue, Advertisement 4 Mikayla Raines husband, Ethan, thanked fans for their well-wishes following his wife's death Credit: Instagram 4 Mikayla, 29, died by suicide Credit: Instagram She died in Faribault, Minnesota, on June 20 and left behind devastated husband Ethan, and their daughter, Freya. In a The video was also shared on the SaveaFox Rescue "I hope you can enjoy seeing Mikayla in some of these candid clips. She truly was a radiant positive energy," her family's post said. Advertisement read more on ents "A pure glowing individual; one in a trillion. A piece of me that I'll never get back." Ethan's voice cracked and he struggled to hold back tears as he thanked people for their letters and flowers following Mikayla's death. 'I know that you all saw her as a hero to the animals but she was a lot more than that,' he said. 'She wasn't just an animal rescuer, she was an advocate and an educator and a daughter and a sister and a mother - a mother not just to Freya but she was a surrogate as well. Advertisement Most read in Celebrity 'She was an artist and she was a really great singer and she was a lot of things that most people didn't get to see.' Through tears, Ethan said the memorial montage was 'hard to watch,' but said it's worth watching. YouTube fox rescue star Mikayla Raines dies by suicide aged 29 as tearful husband Ethan blasts online bullying campaign In the 20-minute montage, Mikayla was seen stroking tortoises and beaming at home. The clip featured snapshots from Christmas celebrations and days at the theme park. Advertisement In one clip, Mikayla was seen balancing on the back of the horse with her arms raised as it galloped in an open field. The montage also featured tender moments Mikayla spent with her daughter in the park and gym. Footage captured Mikayla feeding animals and cuddling foxes. Ethan said he will never recover from Mikayla's death. Advertisement 'But, I'm so glad we all were gifted these many years with her,' he wrote online. Ethan previously spoke about how he felt broken after his wife's death. He compared it to a loss that was 'unimaginable' and described Mikayla as 'the most amazing and inspiring individual.' She was an artist and she was a really great singer and she was a lot of things that most people didn't get to see Mikayla Raines' husband Ethan spent 15 minutes trying to revive Mikayla before paramedics arrived on the scene. Advertisement He said Freya was left 'heartbroken' by her mom's death. Ethan recalled how his wife had been subject to internet trolls before her death and spoke about the impact it had. "[Mikayla] felt as if the entire world had turned against her,' he said. Mikayla's passion for wildlife stemmed from a young age. Advertisement On her She studied in a veterinary technician program while at college. A local media report from 2016 described Mikayla as a "fox whisperer." "I think I can kind of relate to them: They're shy in crowds, it takes them awhile to get used to strangers,' she told Advertisement But, she founded the SaveaFox rescue center in 2017 and revealed that the organization had saved around 150 foxes from death. The SaveaFox YouTube page has almost 2.5 million subscribers. 4 A tender moment captured Mikayla stroking a fox while another was on her shoulders Credit: YouTube 4 She was an avid wildlife enthusiast Credit: Instagram / @saveafox_rescue Advertisement If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on
The Sun
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
YouTuber Mikayla Raines' husband fights back tears as he shares unseen family moments weeks after her sudden death
THE husband of YouTuber and animal rescue enthusiast Mikayla Raines struggled to hold back tears as he shared a montage of unseen moments featuring his late wife. Mikayla, the founder of SaveFox Rescue, died by suicide last month at the age of 29. 4 4 She died in Faribault, Minnesota, on June 20 and left behind devastated husband Ethan, and their daughter, Freya. In a YouTube video uploaded July 27, Ethan thanked fans for their support in what he described as the 'hardest time' for everyone at the animal rescue organization. The video was also shared on the SaveaFox Rescue Instagram page, with the caption describing Mikayla as someone who was "purely glowing and one in a trillion." "I hope you can enjoy seeing Mikayla in some of these candid clips. She truly was a radiant positive energy," her family's post said. "A pure glowing individual; one in a trillion. A piece of me that I'll never get back." Ethan's voice cracked and he struggled to hold back tears as he thanked people for their letters and flowers following Mikayla's death. 'I know that you all saw her as a hero to the animals but she was a lot more than that,' he said. 'She wasn't just an animal rescuer, she was an advocate and an educator and a daughter and a sister and a mother - a mother not just to Freya but she was a surrogate as well. 'She was an artist and she was a really great singer and she was a lot of things that most people didn't get to see.' Through tears, Ethan said the memorial montage was 'hard to watch,' but said it's worth watching. YouTube fox rescue star Mikayla Raines dies by suicide aged 29 as tearful husband Ethan blasts online bullying campaign In the 20-minute montage, Mikayla was seen stroking tortoises and beaming at home. The clip featured snapshots from Christmas celebrations and days at the theme park. In one clip, Mikayla was seen balancing on the back of the horse with her arms raised as it galloped in an open field. The montage also featured tender moments Mikayla spent with her daughter in the park and gym. Footage captured Mikayla feeding animals and cuddling foxes. Ethan said he will never recover from Mikayla's death. 'But, I'm so glad we all were gifted these many years with her,' he wrote online. Ethan previously spoke about how he felt broken after his wife's death. He compared it to a loss that was 'unimaginable' and described Mikayla as 'the most amazing and inspiring individual.' She was an artist and she was a really great singer and she was a lot of things that most people didn't get to see Mikayla Raines' husband Ethan spent 15 minutes trying to revive Mikayla before paramedics arrived on the scene. He said Freya was left 'heartbroken' by her mom's death. Ethan recalled how his wife had been subject to internet trolls before her death and spoke about the impact it had. "[Mikayla] felt as if the entire world had turned against her,' he said. Mikayla's passion for wildlife stemmed from a young age. On her website, she revealed her mother was a rehabilitator, and she raised her first baby fox at 15. She studied in a veterinary technician program while at college. A local media report from 2016 described Mikayla as a "fox whisperer." "I think I can kind of relate to them: They're shy in crowds, it takes them awhile to get used to strangers,' she told The St. Paul Pioneer Press. But, she founded the SaveaFox rescue center in 2017 and revealed that the organization had saved around 150 foxes from death. The SaveaFox YouTube page has almost 2.5 million subscribers. 4 4
USA Today
26-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Mom of YouTuber Mikayla Raines remembers her daughter's relentless fight to save animals
"She made such an impact, even though she struggled so much," Sandi Raines, Mikayla's mother, told USA TODAY. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at Sandi Raines says her daughter was driven by an unrelenting passion to care for animals, inspiring millions of internet users along the way. "All her mind ever said was, 'I got to find places for these animals,'" she said of her late daughter, Mikayla Raines, known to the internet as the face of Save a Fox Rescue and for her fox friend, Finnegan. Raines died by suicide on Friday, June 20, her mother said. The 30-year-old fox rescuer based in southeast Minnesota died by suicide as a result of mental illness and harassment she faced from other animal rescuers online, her husband Ethan Frankamp said in a video shared with more than 2.4 million subscribers on Raines' YouTube channel Monday, June 23. For the majority of her life, Raines dealt with autism, depression and borderline personality disorder, Frankamp said in his video. Raines often found herself in dark moments of elongated sadness she couldn't understand, Sandi said. "She made such an impact, even though she struggled so much," Sandi told USA TODAY through choked up tears on Wednesday. In 2017, Raines established her nonprofit, Save a Fox Rescue, located in Rice County, Minnesota. With the intention of saving foxes from the fur trade industry, the rescue had saved "thousands" foxes since opening, Sandi said. In 2020, Raines and her team opened a second Save a Fox location in Lake County, Florida. Before her death, Raines had been working with a fur farmer to rehab and rehome about 500 foxes, Sandi said. In 2024, Raines spent about $1 million moving 400 foxes from the farm and getting them the proper care they needed. About 100 foxes remained in need of care at the time of her death, Sandi said. "It had really been wearing on her," Sandi said. "She would sit here and she'd go, 'Mom, I feel like I've failed. I only found homes for 400 of these foxes,' and I'm like, 'Mikayla, do you understand that people that are even in good health ... to be able to do what you have done in 16 months? Do not beat yourself up. We'll get this done.' But it was so wearing on her and every time she loses any animal it was just so hard on her." Raines didn't stray away from discussing the weight of operating the rescue. In a social media video posted in December 2024, Raines told followers she "didn't think I can handle it," after the death of one of the rescue's beloved foxes, Felix. "When I was younger and a fox would pass away, obviously I would take it really hard, but I would bounce back, but I think just like all the trauma of loss over the years, like I'm just not bouncing back anymore," Raines said through tears in the video. "I don't feel passion or happiness or drive to keep going. I just feel a lot of pain." A celebration of life will be held for Raines on July 12 at Save a Fox, where her ashes will also be scattered, Sandi told USA TODAY. An everlasting love for animals Mikayla was introduced to wild animals through Sandi, who was a licensed wildlife rehabber throughout Mikayla's childhood. Sandi said Mikayla had an "unbelievable" relationship with animals, able to "walk up to a wild deer and talk to it." Sandi, who is now 76, said it was a surprise when she gave birth to Mikayla at age 46. She said she found herself turning to God, questioning why she gave birth at an older age. But her daughter's passion for animals made it all make sense. "And I would think, 'I know why you're here now,'" Sandi told USA TODAY. When Mikayla was about 16, she and her mother took in a baby wild fox. Naming the critter Finnegan, the fox has been prominent throughout Mikayla's social media content. Sandi said Mikayla even taught Finnegan how to use a dog pee pad inside. "She'd get off the school bus and the fox (Finnegan) would run out of the woods and see her off the bus," Sandi said through tears. Fans, animal rescue community mourn loss, start petition In the days since Frankamp's video went live, countless fans of Raines' and other animal rescues throughout the country have shared their condolences online. In addition to messages of support, thousands of users have signed an online petition to shut down internet communities created for the purpose of bashing public figures and in many cases, female influencers. As of June 26, more than 15,700 people had signed the petition, asking Reddit to provide stricter policies around hateful content. "Reddit condemns hate, harassment, and bullying, and explicitly prohibits this behavior in our sitewide rules," a Reddit spokesperson told USA TODAY. "Our dedicated internal safety teams enforce these rules, including banning users and subreddits, using a combination of automated tooling and human review." Leaving behind a loving husband, young daughter Outside of her beloved animals, Raines' immediate circle included Frankamp, who she had been married to since December 2020, Sandi said, and her 3-year-old daughter Freya. Sandi said Raines and Frankamp met at the rescue – he was a volunteer − and also got married there. "I thank God so much when he came into her life because he took over where I left off," Sandi said. "His love and concern for her was like my love and concern for her." "He loved her so much," she said. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
USA Today
25-06-2025
- USA Today
Mikayla Raines, animal rescue YouTuber, dies by suicide, husband says in video
"Despite her pouring out all of her love for the animals, she still found some love to give to me," Mikayla's husband Ethan said in a YouTube video. This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at Mikayla Raines, an animal rescuer who shared her work on YouTube, has died by suicide, her husband Ethan Raines shared on Monday. In a nearly 12-minute video titled, "An unimaginable loss for the rescue," Ethan said Mikayla had taken her life as a result of mental illness and harassment she faced online. Since 2009, Raines had maintained a YouTube channel for her animal rescue, Save a Fox Rescue, located in Rice County, Minnesota. The channel's following grew to more than 2.4 million subscribers. "Mikayla was the most bright and shining example of what you could accomplish if you really set your mind to something," Ethan said in the video. "She was never held back by ideas everyone else considered unrealistic." Ethan explained in the video that in recent years, people online, including owners of other animal rescues, had begun to spread "claims and rumors" about Mikayla and Save a Fox. "Being the sensitive human that she was, Mikayla took it all to heart. And it hurt her. It hurt her a lot," Ethan said. "If you only have negative garbage to say, just shut up. And if you are feeling lost and hopeless, please reach out to someone, whether it's friends and family or calling a hotline." USA TODAY has reached out to the Rice County Sheriff's Office for more information about Mikayla's death. Who was Mikayla Raines? Mikayla established her nonprofit, Save a Fox, in 2017, with the intention of saving foxes from the fur trade industry. According to the rescue's website, the rescue has saved about 150 foxes from death over the past eight years. Once foxes are brought into the rescue and nursed back to health, many were available for adoption. Save a Fox also works with cats and minks. In addition to sharing videos of how to care for various animals, Mikayla discussed living with autism on social media. Mikayla also suffered from depression and borderline personality disorder, Ethan said in the YouTube video. She spent years in and out of different kinds of therapy, trying various different types of medication, he added. "She put the animals' wellbeing over her own time and time again. She would forgo sleep, eating and showering if there was an animal that needed her help. Despite her pouring out all of her love for the animals, she still found some love to give to me," Ethan said in the video, while choking up. Mikayla was also a mother of a young daughter named Freya. Animal rescue community mourns loss Since Ethan's YouTube video posted on Monday, countless followers and animal rescues across the country have shared their condolences. "This week, the rescue world lost a bright light. Mikayla didn't just rescue animals – she moved mountains for them," South Carolina based KJ Farms Animal Rescue wrote in a social media post on Monday. KJ Farms explained in the post that Mikayla has recently started a financial campaign for Save a Fox to rescue about 500 foxes from a fox farm. But Mikayla's efforts to save the foxes was met with online criticism. "Anyone in rescue knows what it feels like to say, 'Yes,' from your heart, even when your head is screaming, 'How?' She scrambled for space. For homes. For medical help. For funding. And when things got hard, the judgment rolled in faster than the support ever did," KJ Farms wrote. "Some of the very people who should've stood by her – other rescuers – joined the mob instead." The campaign remains on the Save a Fox website and YouTube channel. As of June 24, more than 117,000 had been raised, of a $700,000 goal. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
