this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2025
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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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[–] CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 hour ago

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

[–] arc99@lemmy.world 1 points 28 minutes 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.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 0 points 22 minutes ago

It's not the most gorgeous of truths, but if it wasn't online abuse, it would likely be something else for her. 75% of people diagnosed with bpd will make at least one suicide attempt in their lifetime.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 6 points 9 hours ago

Another reason why the US healthcare system sucks shit.

[–] dil@lemmy.zip 9 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

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 9 points 10 hours ago

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

[–] Zahille7@lemmy.world 29 points 17 hours 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.

[–] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 37 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

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.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (3 children)

Wait what? People harass people online because they've got BPD? Like they specifically target people who are suffering from BPD? Why??

Fucking gross.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 1 points 31 minutes ago

Well, it is unfortunately symptomatic. Lived with one for 10 years. Gave everything. It is not easy to admit that most of the even self aware sufferers will automatically manipulate and stir up drama due to the impossible weight of their own guilt and anger which if you want to help you have to realise is never going away and more often than not continually hurt anyone around them. It's sad that giving energy and help to sufferers is so draining and destructive and if you want support many people react like you. Except in support groups. So if anyone is reading : take care of yourself first, giving more than you have is bad for everyone and it will be hard not to. Support groups are your friend as many that are in the same situation sharing and understanding is deeply important to survive

[–] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Because hurt people hurt people.

People with BPD can be very manipulative and controlling, they can leave you with your own psychological trauma if they're not self aware enough to realise what they're doing. And some people are just evil and don't try be better. So there are a lot of people who have been hurt by people with BPD and they then become a target for harassment.

Sad part is that most people with BPD just want to be loved. Unfortunately they can't trust love or anyone around them. It's fucked and really hard to manage, but possible with a lot of hard work.

[–] chaotic_altruist@lemm.ee 2 points 7 hours ago

I've been hurt a lot by people with BPD. I have provided a lot of emotional (and financial) support only to eventually be taken for granted and/or abused. Some people with BPD can be absolute monsters.

It's taken years of therapy and self healing to understand how they're hurting too and seriously don't understand how they're hurting others sometimes.

Just wish more people could learn to not lash out when they're hurt and seek healing. It's hard regardless if you've got BPD, PTSD, or whatever, but it's always the right way to go. Everyone deserves respect and understanding.

[–] Karjalan@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Is BPD bi-polar disorder? Or borderline personality disorder?

[–] Ulvain@sh.itjust.works 18 points 18 hours ago (4 children)

I don't know her at all - is that BPD diagnosis something confirmed, thet she shared and all?

I have terribly mixed feelings about people with BPD.

On one side, lots of empathy: they often feel miserable and (not always, but) very often their BPD is the result of trauma or abuse.

On the other, and having lived it for a decade and a half: they can make the lives of people in their surroundings an absolute abominable horror-movie type of nightmare.

It's actually treatable but not all people with BPD seek treatment, it's a tough one.

[–] jim_v@lemmy.world 9 points 13 hours ago

There just aren't enough therapists learning how to administer dialectical behavior therapy. Very helpful for people with BPD, addiction problems, or PTSD.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

BPD is brutal on the people close to the person with the disorder. Absolutely brutal.

[–] StarMerchant938@lemmy.world 5 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

My sister has BPD. My parents cut her off after some particularly spectacular episodes. I stuck up for her even after she wasn't allowed around anymore. She tried to off herself in my room when I let her hide out from her boyfriend (not the first time she did that). She ended up moving in with that scumbag who on multiple occasions beat her senseless and threw her out of a moving vehicle. I had to come over (strapped mind you) and escort her from his place to the station onto a greyhound to go live with her cousin. I have so much fuckin trauma on account of her. She's better now, for now. If it comes to it again tho I'll always fight tooth and nail to keep her safe, regardless of how outrageously she behaves. That's my fuckin sister.

Thank you, you're an amazing sibling. Just don't let her abuse you. I hope she is getting help, it can get better.

[–] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I personally cannot confirm it, I just saw it being mentioned on one of the BPD subs on reddit.

I think it's important to differentiate people with mental health issues and bad people with mental health issues.

I have BPD, it sucks so much and I suffer a lot of emotional pain. I have hurt some people, but the first person I really hurt, I loved like no other, and when she told me what I was doing to her when she left me, I decided not to be that person anymore.

I've fucked up a lot of my life during my worse episodes, but I choose not to be a horrible person to the people around me. I don't always get it right, but I try.

A diagnosis doesn't make you evil or bad, that's a personal choice.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 1 points 26 minutes ago

Bless you, take care of yourself and loved ones. If you do anything at all, please have safeguards against the most harrowing statistics with suicide on this diagnosis. Even worse if you are male but that's beside the point <3

[–] Soggy@lemmy.world 10 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (3 children)

I have an uncle who has been cut-off from the family because he refuses to treat his ~~BPD~~ bipolar (whoops) and his sisters got tired of taking care of/cleaning up after him. "Doesn't like how the medicine makes him feel". Pretty sure he started self-medicating with other stuff and found a woman who enables him, don't know exactly (it's been two decades since I last heard from him)

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[–] gwilikers@lemmy.ml 49 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

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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[–] Foxfire@pawb.social 33 points 20 hours 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.

[–] frozenpopsicle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 18 hours ago

This one hits me hard. So sad. So goddamn sad. Seeing her and those foxes really cheered me up. Her death just stabs me right through the heart.

[–] Handmaid@lemmy.zip 63 points 23 hours ago (4 children)

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.

[–] Itdidnttrickledown@lemmy.world 36 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (8 children)

It was reddit. Reddit is dead center of this.

Edit: its amazing how being correctly identifying reddit as the culprit is downvoted on lemmy when its clear most of us are here because reddit sucks a skunks ass.

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[–] xiwi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 62 points 1 day ago (20 children)

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

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