A beloved YouTube star and passionate animal rights activist died by suicide after enduring relentless online bullying, her heartbroken husband revealed.
Mikayla Raines, a popular content creator and founder of the Save A Fox rescue center, was the victim of an “online bullying campaign” from people she knew and those who worked at “other animal sanctuaries” over the years, her husband Ethan Frankamp said in a heartbreaking YouTube video Monday.
The 29-year-old was also a mom to a baby daughter.
“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 — 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,” Frankamp said.
“I wish you had to watch helplessly as paramedics attempted to revive her lifeless body.”
Recently, Raines’ close friends began to criticize her, according to Frankamp. He claimed the criticism caused her mental health to take a tragic turn for the worse.
“She felt as if the entire world had turned against her,” he shared. “She has always battled with borderline personality disorder, causing emotional instability as well as impulsive behaviors, but this time it went too far. She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life.”
Frankamp added that his wife also had autism and struggled with depression.
He ended the tearful video by telling critics spreading “garbage” rumors to “shut up” — and urged people feeling “lost and hopeless” to reach out to a loved one or call a hotline for help.
“Despite this being the biggest loss of my life and feeling like I have a literal hole in my chest, I will not let Mikayla’s light be extinguished and I won’t let negativity win,” he added.
The Minnesota mother’s death announcement came one day after her husband posted a sweet video of Raines smiling after she rescued a lemur that didn’t appear to be house-trained.
The Save A Fox YouTube channel boasts 2.45 million subscribers.
“She was never in it for fame, money or personal gain,” Frankamp said. “She was truly one of the most selfless people I have ever known. She put the animal’s well-being over her own time and time again.”
Frankamp said he “will do whatever I can” to continue the Save A Fox rescue center.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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