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Mikayla Raines

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Mikayla Raines
Photo of Mikayla Raines, a woman with long reddish brown hair. She holds two gray fox kits while smiling at us.
Raines in June 2025[1]
Born
Mikayla Anne Raines

(1995-03-05)March 5, 1995
Burnsville, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedJune 20, 2025(2025-06-20) (aged 30)
Faribault, Minnesota, U.S.
Cause of deathSuicide
Other namesMikayla Frankamp
Occupation(s)Wildlife rescuer and rehabiltator
YouTuber
Years active2015–2025
Spouse
Ethan Frankamp
​
(m. 2020)​
Children1
YouTube information
Channel
Genre
Subscribers2.47 million[2]
Views841.3 million[2]
Silver Play Button100,000 subscribers
Gold Play Button1,000,000 subscribers
Last updated: June 27, 2025

Mikayla Anne Raines (March 5, 1995 – June 20, 2025)[a] was an American animal rescuer, wildlife rehabilitator and YouTuber. Working initially and particularly closely with foxes, she was the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Minnesota's SaveAFox Rescue, a nonprofit animal sanctuary organization specializing in rescuing animals from fur farms.

Documenting her and her sanctuary's efforts on Instagram and YouTube helped her develop a social media presence and attracted traditional media attention, with various foxes featured in her posts also going viral in their own right. According to her husband, she died by suicide after struggling with online harassment. Her death received widespread media coverage and sparked discussion about cyberbullying and mental health.

Early life

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Raines was born Mikayla Anne Raines[9] on March 5, 1995, in Burnsville, Minnesota, to Sandi Raines and Don Borchert.[6][8][10] She had two sisters and one brother.[10]

Fox rescuing

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Early interest and efforts in Lakeville, Minnesota

[edit]
Raines rehabilitated a gray fox (example pictured) when she was fifteen years old.

Raines became interested in rescuing foxes at the age of 15, when she helped one of her friends rehabilitate an orphaned gray fox.[11] At 18, she began taking classes to become licensed as a wildlife rehabilitator, completing the process in 2016.[6] She first took in a fox from a fur farm when she was 19, and by the time she was 21, Raines was USDA-licensed to exhibit and sell foxes.[11] Raines, the Pioneer Press reported, was only comfortable doing the latter to those she vetted; typically, she only sold foxes to fox sanctuaries or those "who have track records owning foxes, preferably with a license similar to hers".[11]

In the spring of 2016, Raines bottle-raised and re-homed ten baby foxes.[11] That April, her local city council in Lakeville, Minnesota, voted to allow her to keep foxes on the rural ten-acre property owned by her mother, as long as she also lived there,[11] with the caveat that she not keep more than three foxes at a time.[12] Raines rehabilitated foxes born in captivity with some defect, which she stated would make them unappealing to fur farms that would ultimately kill them.[12]

The following January, Notchi, one of Raines' pet foxes escaped from an outdoor enclosure. Sighted traveling through southern Minnesota, Raines launched a social media campaign, setting a $1,000 reward for Notchi's return.[13] Notchi was never returned to Raines, though was reportedly last sighted with another fox, with Raines presuming the two mated.[14]

In May, the city considered revoking her interim-use permit, stating she was keeping more than the allowed three foxes. Raines did not deny this, stating her passion for rehabilitating foxes led to her keeping more than three on the property and starting a rescue under the name "Mikdolittles Fox Rescue".[12] She also was reported to plan to ask the city for an amendment to her permit, stating that the property being "zoned agriculture" should be considered as fur-farm foxes are "considered agricultural animals under state statute".[12] Raines ultimately had her permit revoked.[15]

SaveAFox Rescue

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Main article: SaveAFox Rescue

In 2017, at the age of 20,[4][16] Raines founded the "SaveAFox Rescue", an officially registered 501(c)(3) charity.[17] At the time of its founding, Raines was studying to be a veterinary technician at Globe University, opting to drop out in order to found SaveAFox.[6][17] She also served as the organization's executive director.[18] Though Raines' permit in Lakeville was revoked, her followers shortly thereafter donated $60,000 in three months to assist with her cause, helping her open a new operation in Rice County, near Faribault.[15] The fox sanctuary and non-profit organization became the largest fox rescue in the United States by June 2019.[15] Robin Schwartz, who worked as a photographer on a National Geographic profile on Raines, described the SaveAFox rescue in Minnesota as a "fantasy world" and Raines herself as "wood nymph" with a "calm and comfortable" relationship with the sanctuary's animals.[17]

With more people, many from the Southern U.S., wanting to surrender foxes to Raines than she had room for, she sought to expand her efforts.[15] Raines set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for a second shelter,[15] which ultimately opened in Groveland, Florida in 2020.[6][8] Through her work rescuing foxes, Raines developed relationships with several fur farmers.[19] One Iowa-based farmer regularly surrendered foxes for over five years to Raines and SaveAFox before retiring around 2023, when he agreed to legally surrender all 500 of his farm's foxes to Raines' rescue, provided the rescue costs could be paid for.[19] The nonprofit launched a fundraiser to raise $700,000 to rescue and relocate the foxes, with 300 of them planned to be housed in a new location in Tennessee and the remaining 200 to be adopted.[19] Raines reportedly spent around US$1 million moving 400 of the foxes from the Iowa farm, with the remaining 100 still in need of care when she died.[8]

While most associated with foxes, Raines helped rescue other animals, including jackals;[20] her husband stated he had seen her help "birds, reptiles, sheep, [and] squirrels".[21] Though Raines attracted a large following and positive reception for her rescue efforts,[22] she also received some online criticism for her efforts with SaveAFox, with some questioning her ethics in "buying" foxes from fur farms and others accusing her of "hoarding" more foxes than she could care for.[23]

Social media presence

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Raines maintained an Instagram account about the foxes.[17] Around the time she lost her Lakeville permit, the Pioneer Press reported it had earned over 50,000 followers.[12] The account drove sponsorships and donations to her sancutary's GoFundMe page.[17] Raines also launched a YouTube channel in 2009,[5] which she later used to document the SaveAFox sanctuary.[24] Raines also maintained related accounts on Facebook and TikTok,[25] as well as OnlyFans.[26] The latter account, which she used to help partially fund the rescue, made her a target of online harassment by some users.[26][27]

Various viral videos, such as one featuring two "lesbian goth foxes",[28] helped boost her and the sanctuary's social media presence, often garnering the rescue national media attention.[29] Two of Raines' red foxes, Finnegan and Dixie, also achieved online virality in their own right.[30][31] At the time of her death in June 2025, Raines' accounts on YouTube and Instagram amassed over 2.4 million subscribers and 500,000 followers, respectively.[4]

Personal life

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Raines met her husband, Ethan Frankamp,[b] at SaveAFox Rescue, where he was a volunteer.[8] Frankamp later helped run SaveAFox with Raines.[19] They married at the rescue on December 23, 2020,[9] and together they had one daughter (b. 2021).[32]

Death

[edit]

Raines died in Faribault, Minnesota on June 20, 2025, at the age of 30.[6] Frankamp announced Raines's death by suicide in a YouTube video on June 23, 2025,[4] stating that Raines had struggled with depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder (BPD).[3] After an investigation by the Rice County Sheriff's Office,[33] her death was confirmed as a suicide by hanging by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.[34]

Frankamp alleged that an online harassment campaign by social media users, others in the wildlife rescue community, and some people whom Raines had known personally had contributed to her death.[4][35] Reddit users raised discussions regarding the role of "snark subreddits", communities on Reddit dedicated to harassing and spreading rumors about a subject, in Raines' suicide.[27][36] A snark subreddit about SaveAFox was set to private and appeared to be scrubbed following her death.[37] Users also initiated a petition requesting Reddit to introduce stricter policies around hateful content and shut down snark communities.[8] Her death also sparked general discussions on cyberbullying and its effect on mental health.[38]

A celebration of life for Raines was held on July 12 at SaveAFox.[8][39] Other communities also paid tribute to Raines following the news of her death; the video game Overwatch 2 (2023) used the sounds of Raines' foxes in its design for the character Kiriko, and players of the game paid tribute to her.[40]

Notes

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  1. ^ While some initial reporting on Raines' death stated she was 29 at the time,[3][4] later reports from USA Today and The New York Times confirmed she was 30.[5][6] Sourcing conflicts on her date of death; CBS News cites a video published by her husband as having "announced she died on Saturday [June 21, 2025]".[7] However, USA Today and The New York Times, citing her mother and husband respectively, both report her death date as June 20.[8][6]
  2. ^ Some sources name Raines' husband as Ethan Frankamp,[3][19] while others name him as Ethan Raines.[7]

References

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  1. ^ @saveafox_rescue; (June 3, 2025). "Who is participating in the name voting fundraiser for our SAF South fox kits!? Sammi's babies! The choices came down to your guys's suggested names and our top favorites from our staff / volunteer team. Here are the choices: 🦊Archie on left (short for Archibald) 🦊 Picasso! (On right, name to go with Piper our female fox he will be paired with.) 🦊🦊 Or, Loki and Thor!". Retrieved June 24, 2025 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ a b "About Saveafox". YouTube.
  3. ^ a b c Galante, Grace (June 24, 2025). "YouTube Star Mikayla Raines Dies at 29". Parade. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e Muir, Ellie (June 24, 2025). "Mikayla Raines death: YouTube fox rescue star dies, aged 29". The Independent. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Cross, Greta (June 25, 2025). "Animal rescue YouTuber Mikayla Raines dies by suicide, husband says in video". USA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Longman, Jeré (June 28, 2025). "Mikayla Raines, Who Rescued Foxes and Other Animals, Is Dead at 30". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 28, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Swanson, Stephen (June 24, 2025). "Mikayla Raines, founder of Minnesota's Save A Fox rescue, dies at 29, husband says". CBS Minnesota. CBS News. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Cross, Greta (June 27, 2025) [June 26, 2025]. "Mom of YouTuber Mikayla Raines remembers her daughter's relentless fight to save animals". USA Today. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "12/23/2020 - Frankamp, Ethan Mark - Raines, Mikayla Anne". Minnesota Official Marriage System. mn.gov. December 23, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Mikayla Raines Obituary (1995 - 2025)". Legacy.com. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e Vezner, Tad (August 25, 2016). "On her Lakeville family farm, she's a fox whisperer". Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e Ferraro, Nick (May 4, 2017). "She rescues foxes, but Lakeville says she has 2 too many". Pioneer Press. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  13. ^ Adler, Erin (January 30, 2017). "Facebook atwitter over friendly fox sightings in southern Minnesota". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  14. ^ Fischenich, Mark (February 2, 2020). "Ask Us: The final chapter in the story of Notchi the fox". The Free Press. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  15. ^ a b c d e "'I'm Going To Do Whatever It Takes: Mikayla Raines' Fox Sanctuary Grows In Rice Co". CBS Minnesota. CBS News. June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  16. ^ Fox rescuer on a mission to educate people on the exotic pet trade. Good Morning America. April 30, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  17. ^ a b c d e Hugo, Kristin (February 6, 2019). "Rescued foxes find refuge in Minnesota". National Geographic. Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  18. ^ Kemp, Colton (January 31, 2025) [December 28, 2023]. "Fureedom: SaveAFox finds homes for 500 foxes from now-closed fur farm". Faribault Daily News. Archived from the original on June 25, 2025.
  19. ^ a b c d e McGuire, Mary (November 8, 2023). "Faribault rescue aims to save 500 foxes from fur farm". FOX 9. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  20. ^ Rivera, Isabella (October 12, 2023). "Rescue Jackal Is So Happy To See Woman Who Saved Him in Heartwarming Video". PetHelpful. Retrieved June 24, 2025 – via Yahoo!.
  21. ^ Frankamp, Ethan [@saveafox_rescue]; (June 23, 2025). "We have suffered a loss that is unimaginable". Retrieved July 12, 2025 – via Instagram.
  22. ^ Remington, Kaylee (June 25, 2025). "Animal rescue YouTube personality with 2.4M followers dies at 29". Cleveland.com. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  23. ^ Steinbeck, Julie (June 25, 2025). "A Fox Rescuer's Final Battle: Remembering Mikayla Raines of Save A Fox". Green Prophet. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  24. ^ Juliano, Michael (May 20, 2020). "This adorable fox rescue in Minnesota will make you fall in love with foxes". Time Out. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  25. ^ Gott, Andy (June 25, 2025). "Minnesota & Wider World Mourn the Loss of 'Save a Fox' Founder". ESPN Sioux Falls. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  26. ^ a b Masiello, Shawna (June 25, 2025). "They Bullied Her to Death–And Reddit Let it Happen". Poptopic. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  27. ^ a b Marie, Hannah (June 25, 2025). "Mikayla Raines mourned by Overwatch Kiriko fans after her tragic passing". Esports News UK. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  28. ^ Crann, Tom; Stroozas, Sam (June 30, 2022). "'Lesbian goth foxes,' the story of Esmae and Mala". All Things Considered. MPRNews. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  29. ^ "Minnesota Fox Rescue Group Gets National Attention After Viral Video". CBS Minnesota. CBS News. December 20, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  30. ^ Brown, Kyle (June 24, 2025). "SaveAFox rescue founder Mikayla Raines dies by suicide after online harassment, husband says". 5 Eyewitness News. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  31. ^ Garner, Johanna (April 8, 2020). "This Cheeky Fox Will Leave You in Stitches as She Steals a Woman's Phone". Ohmymag. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  32. ^ Kemp, Colton (July 3, 2025). "SaveAFox's Mikayla Raines 'gave her life' to saving animals". Lonsdale Area News Review. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  33. ^ Duxter, Adam (June 27, 2025). "Husband of Mikayla Raines says she struggled with online bullying before her death: "I do hope there's accountability"". CBS News. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  34. ^ Caruso, Skyler (July 14, 2025). "Cause of Death for YouTuber Mikayla Raines, 29, Revealed". People. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  35. ^ Holohan, Megan (June 25, 2025). "Mikayla Raines, 29, Dies by Suicide After Online Harassment, Husband Says". Today. NBC. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  36. ^ Hudgins, Ryan (June 26, 2025). "Petition Aims to Take Down Reddit Snark Page About SaveAFox YouTuber After She Died by Suicide". Us Weekly. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
  37. ^ Bansinath, Bindu (June 25, 2025). "What We Know About the Death of Mikayla Raines". The Cut. New York. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  38. ^ YouTube star's death puts spotlight on cyber bullying. ABC News. June 24, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  39. ^ Hudgins, Ryan (July 12, 2025). "SaveAFox YouTuber Mikayla Raines Honored at Funeral Weeks After Her Death By Suicide". Us Weekly. Retrieved July 14, 2025 – via Yahoo!.
  40. ^ Shutler, Ali (June 25, 2025). "'Overwatch' fans pay tribute to late YouTuber Mikayla Raines". NME. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
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