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submitted 3 days ago by Stamau123@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Raines created a successful YouTube channel dedicated to her advocacy efforts rescuing foxes from fur farms.

Animal rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines has died by suicide, according to her husband. She was 29.

Ethan Raines announced her death in an emotional video he posted to her YouTube channel on Monday.

He said that for years his wife suffered from various mental health issues and struggled to cope with online criticism.

"She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and she ended her life," he said. "And it breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her."

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[-] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 day ago

Perhaps someone prone to depression and suicidal ideation might be well advised not to choose a highly visible public career where one is constantly exposed to the rantings of evil trolls.

This isn't victim-blaming, it's just an acknowledgement that the world as it currently is, is full of toxic backwaters that should be avoided.

[-] possumparty 2 points 20 hours ago

Shut the fuck up, this is absolutely victim blaming. "Maybe she should've just wallowed in her depression quietly instead of trying to show others what it's like to help and advocate for helpless wild animals."

[-] Sausa 8 points 1 day ago

That still sounds like victim blaming to me? Yes, there are a ton of shit people in the world, but I feel like rather than "she shouldn't have taken up that career", we should instead be fighting back against the idea that people are allowed to be this shitty:

  • What's up with these people that they give out so much abuse?
  • Did YouTube and other sites do anything to protect her?
  • What else can we do to protect vulnerable people from abuse while letting them do their job?
  • What support did she get? Could she have had more?
  • How can we prevent this from happening to the next content creator?

I don't know the answer to these, but just saying 'she shouldn't have started in the first place' feels like a massive cop out to me.

[-] ComradeRachel 4 points 1 day ago

Depressed people are told to get out and touch grass and do something good for the world, some go and do that and then get attacked and bullied for doing something good in the world. Then someone says well they shouldn’t have done this or not. IMO I would agree its victim blaming. Mental health systems suck in many countries where people rarely get the help they need and then people online bring cruel and inhumane because they can hide behind a screen.

[-] CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml 20 points 1 day ago

Holy fuck, I loved SaveAFox, what the hell is wrong with people 😭🤮

[-] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago

I don't understand why anyone would be mad that someone was saving foxes from becoming pelts.

Unless you're the piece of shit profiting from the suffering and death of those animals, in which case, your opinion is null and void, nobody should be against the idea IMO.

It's incredible to me that anyone would carry such vitriol against such a noble cause.

May she rest in peace.

[-] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 day ago

On any online forum, there are people who just like to stir the shit: doxxing, swatting, death threats, you name it. Most platforms have reduced their efforts to keep those slimebags at bay, and this is the result.

[-] drmoose@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Could have just stopped the YouTube channel and done something else. I know this is a stupid comment but it makes you wonder whether a bit of therapy or support in that direction would have been a bit more accessible her life could have been saved.

[-] tane@lemmy.zip 1 points 16 hours ago

Fully propagandized idiot who will follow you around commenting on all your posts if you say a single nice thing about China btw ^

[-] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I get what you're trying to say, but by saying it, you've demonstrated a significant misunderstanding of what it's like to live with depression and suicidal ideation.

As simply as I can: I wouldn't assume that she wasn't seeking mental health help when she ended her own life. Just because she was successful in removing her own life, does not mean she wasn't trying to save herself from that outcome.

Intellectually, the above statement is contradictory, if she didn't want to die, then why did she end her own life? That, is the very nature of suicidal ideation and depression. You can't intellectually ponder it out of existence, and you can want to live while still having suicidal urges that are hard to control.

This isn't a logic problem. Intellectual reasoning doesn't have a place in the discussion. The cognitive therapy you get from a mental health professional often needs to be paired with anti-depressants to mitigate the negative thoughts while you sort of work on rewiring how you think about the things that are causing you to feel depressed. Whether those things are internal thoughts, or comments from external sources...

Depression is a demon that isn't easy to overcome.

By saying she should have just gotten therapy trivializes the struggle that some people go through every day, so I would expect some down votes for your comment. I understand that your comment is meant to be helpful and coming from a place of caring, but it does not come across that way.

I'll add a disclaimer: all of the thoughts and ideas expressed here have no scientific, nor medical basis, I am not a doctor. These are from my own personal experiences and research, and have no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I may be wrong and if I am, I hope any readers will comment to let me know that I have erred.

A final note: to anyone struggling with mental health: I hope you get the help and support you need to overcome any struggles you may be experiencing. I sincerely hope you can find a path towards mental health that works for you.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

[-] Draedron@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 1 day ago

Piss off you victim blaming ass

[-] drmoose@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Work on your reading comprehension my dude

[-] Jackhammer_Joe@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

Work on not being a shitty person

[-] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

hey uhh this isn't exactly a happy conversation,, but,, uh happy cake day 😅

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[-] Fridgeratr@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago

If you know it's a stupid comment, maybe don't make it

[-] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 day ago

Genuine question: apart from the people who would profit from the activities she was fighting against, or the would-be patrons of such a business.... Why would anyone carry hate for what she was trying to accomplish?

I know there's a whole religious argument, which I find to be wretched at the foundation; just because you 'have dominion' over creatures does not imply that it's ok to torture them and/or kill them for their fur unnecessarily....

Anything else? I just can't think of anything.

[-] ComradeRachel 4 points 1 day ago

I don’t really know any details about how stuff worked beyond just saving foxes, but my random guess would be people calling it woke and attacking that, there are many people who think things involved with helping the environment and things related to that is bad. It seems like anything considered remotely “woke” is attacked because of rhetoric coming from the right wing.

It seems to be related to fur and there are people who dislike the idea of losing access to animal products like fur coats and leather goods, that is likely related.

[-] MiyamotoKnows@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Those posters should be identified and held accountable. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back style maybe. What a horrendous situation.

[-] arc99@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

I remember watching some fox channels with a lot of rescue foxes including one called Finnegan. Was that her? So sad that anyone would harass somebody like that.

[-] TheRealKuni@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Yes, that was her channel.

[-] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

NOOOOO :(((( I am heartbroken:(((
poor fennigan and Dixie :(((

[-] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 day ago

Hers was SaveAFox

[-] Zahille7@lemmy.world 39 points 2 days ago

No, this was the SaveAFox person... This is like hearing if The Girl With The Dogs were to suddenly die tomorrow. I'm not sure I could handle so much good leaving the world so quickly.

They had been posting fundraising updates on their YouTube for the last couple weeks. I hope they can keep it going.

[-] gwilikers@lemmy.ml 58 points 2 days ago

I would also like to add another perspective.

I think its important to bear in mind that there are plenty of examples of animal rights and environmental organisations that have been the target of harrasment campaigns bankrolled by corporate and political interests.

I'm not suggesting this is what happened here. I think we have to scrutinize any possible conspiracy -- I really want to make that clear. If you look through the other comments, there's a lot to delve through here.

But I would suggest bearing in mind that smear campaigns aimed at cultivating a kind of political nihilism is something that does happen.

The best you can do, if you care about these causes, is to continue to support them in whatever ways you can.

In my opinion, all animals deserve a hell of a lot better than this.

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[-] KyuubiNoKitsune 40 points 2 days ago

I believe she had BPD as well, which in itself often gets you targeted harassment online while also making you extremely sensitive to said harassment.

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[-] Handmaid@lemmy.zip 64 points 2 days ago

As a long time SaveAFox fan, Mikayla's death is crushing. This is a woman that deeply deeply cared for animals selflessly her entire life.

The internet has no shame and has become a truly abhorrent place.

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[-] xiwi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 71 points 2 days ago

Why the fuck would you harass someone for saving foxes? Is it because she's a woman?

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[-] dil@lemmy.zip 14 points 2 days ago

It was a redditor, they also posted how proud they were, I posted a screnshot but ppl tweaked at me for using reddit and I deleted it rather than argue

[-] HiddenLychee@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

Lemmy people are weird. Can you link/show me this person?

[-] dil@lemmy.zip 1 points 23 hours ago
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[-] Foxfire@pawb.social 35 points 2 days ago

As a long time supporter of SaveAFox, it's hard to really even process this. I am sure being an online personality to try and fundraise isn't easy, but never did I dream that there was such a degree of hate lobbed at Mikayla that she'd decide to end her own life. Someone so kind and devoted to the lives of creatures who are constantly exploited and cannot save themselves. It's just despicable, and all I can really hope for is that Mikayla's mission continues on in spite of such significant loss.

[-] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

Another reason why the US healthcare system sucks shit.

[-] Naevermix@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago
[-] wanderwisley@lemm.ee 99 points 3 days ago

It is a sad state of affairs when a person is doing something actually good to help animals and they get harassed. May her legacy live on forever.

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[-] Jerb322@lemmy.world 196 points 3 days ago

How hollow that must feel. Not getting any justice or retribution.

And the disgusting people to blame are probably praising themselves, now.

RIP

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this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2025
765 points (100.0% liked)

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