Famous social media phenomenon and animal rights activist ended her life

YouTube fox rescue star Mikayla Raines has committed suicide at the age of 29. Her husband Ethan posted an emotional video on social media announcing his death and slamming the online bullying campaign against Mikayla.

Mikayla had over 500,000 followers on Instagram and was the founder of the animal rescue organization Save A Fox, where she dedicated her life to saving foxes and other wildlife. Her YouTube channel had over 2.4 million subscribers.

Mikayla, who started working with animals at the age of 15, founded the Minnesota-based nonprofit when she was 20. Ethan said Mikayla has been the subject of online harassment and bullying for a long time, not just from strangers but also from her close circle and the animal rescue community.

Ethan said Mikayla struggled with severe psychological issues such as depression, autism and borderline personality disorder and had been in therapy for years. His wife said, “Mikayla dedicated her life to animals. She worked completely devotedly, not to be famous or to make money.”

Mikayla’s sudden death was a huge loss for her family and loved ones, with many in the animal rescue community expressing their sadness and vowing to keep Mikayla’s memory alive.