Mikayla Raines, the inspirational founder of Save a Fox Rescue and cherished YouTuber, passed away in June 2025, leaving a profound void in the animal rescue world and in the hearts of her many devoted followers. Her husband, Ethan, announced the heartbreaking news through an emotional YouTube video, where he not only honored Mikayla’s enduring legacy but also courageously confronted the false accusations that had cast a shadow over her final days.
Mikayla Raines, the passionate founder of Save a Fox Rescue and a beloved voice on YouTube, passed away in June 2025, leaving a profound emptiness in the animal rescue community and among her countless followers. Her husband, Ethan, delivered the devastating news in a heartfelt and emotional video, where he honored Mikayla’s unwavering dedication and compassion, while also courageously addressing the false accusations and online cruelty she endured in her final days. Ethan shared that Mikayla had bravely battled depression and borderline personality disorder for years. Though she possessed a fierce spirit and limitless love for the animals she saved, the weight of her emotional suffering ultimately became too heavy to bear.
Ethan reflected on how Mikayla’s deep emotional sensitivity was both her greatest gift and her heaviest burden. While it allowed her to connect profoundly with the animals she cared for, it also made her vulnerable to the relentless waves of criticism and harassment some of which came from within the very rescue community she sought to uplift. Despite the emotional toll, Mikayla’s devotion never faltered. Her journey began at just 15 years old, when a chance encounter with her first fox during a volunteer experience sparked a lifelong mission. That moment ignited a passion that led to the founding of Save a Fox Rescue, through which she gave hundreds of foxes and other animals many saved from the horrors of fur farming a second chance at life.
Choosing compassion over convention, Mikayla made the courageous decision to leave college behind and dedicate her life fully to animal rescue. She quickly emerged as a fierce and fearless advocate for foxes, relentlessly championing their welfare and educating the public about their plight. One of her most remarkable accomplishments came when she helped shut down a fur farm, seizing the opportunity to rescue over 500 animals from unimaginable conditions. Even with limited space, funding, and manpower, Mikayla always prioritized the well-being of the animals. Each rescue was a labor of love her heart and soul poured into every cage opened, every life saved.
News of Mikayla’s sudden passing sent shockwaves through the global animal rescue community, prompting an outpouring of grief, love, and remembrance from supporters around the world. Tributes poured in, celebrating her boundless compassion, unwavering dedication, and the profound difference she made in her far-too-short life. In one of her final videos, Mikayla appeared radiant and at peace, joyfully feeding a lemur an image that now serves as a poignant reminder of the gentle spirit she was. In quieter, private moments, she lovingly passed on her values to her young daughter, teaching her to honor and protect the natural world. Though Mikayla is no longer with us, her legacy lives on in every fox she saved, every life she touched, and in the hearts of the countless people she inspired to speak up for the voiceless.
