Animal rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines died by suicide earlier this month, her husband, Ethan Raines, said on Monday in an emotional Instagram video. According to the post, the 29-year-old YouTuber took her own life after she allegedly faced bullying from people whom she considered "close friends". Mr Raines 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 in the video, adding that her death is "the biggest loss of my life."
"We have suffered a loss that is unimaginable," Mr Raines wrote in the caption of the video. "Mikayla was truly the most amazing and inspiring individual I have ever known, and not having her here makes everything feel empty. I feel broken." "But I will continue her dream, and I hope to have your support going forward so that we can do good in her name," he added.
In the video, Mr Raines said that his wife, who founded her Minnesota-based non-profit in 2017 when she was just 20 years old, was "one of the most selfless people I have ever known". But due to her work with animals, she faced several challenges in her private life.
"As many of you know she was on the autism spectrum and while that made her life very difficult, it allowed her to hyperfocus on one thing, and that one thing was obviously animals," Mr Raines said in the video. He noted that the wildlife activist was "so sensitive to everything", which was "a double-edged sword". "On one hand, it allowed her endless empathy for those in her care. But it also means that she took everything negative to heart," he continued.
Further, Mr Raines said that in recent years, his wife and her animal rescue non-profit had allegedly been the focus of an "online bullying campaign" from people she knew, including those who worked at "other animal sanctuaries". He said this "hurt her a lot", and while she initially "pushed through," things got worse in recent months when people "she considered her close friends" started joining in.
"It breaks my heart that is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her," Mr Raines said. "Those of you that pushed her to this, every one of you that had been responsible for making her feel this way, I wish you had to feel what she felt. I wish you had to feel what I feel," he added.
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Mr Raines concluded the video, noting that if anyone felt "lost and hopeless," they should reach out to someone. He also said that people should continue to "look out" for their loved ones, "look for the signs" and "do something or say something before it's too late".
He also said he intends to continue his wife's work to save foxes.
Notably, Mikayla Raines created a nonprofit animal rescue organisation, SaveAFox Rescue, in 2017, when she was 20 years old. The organisation is dedicated to rescuing foxes from fur farms and providing them with "forever homes". According to its website, the NGO has saved more than 150 foxes.
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