Share and Follow
Beloved YouTube star and animal rights activist Mikayla Raines’ cause of death has been confirmed.
The 29-year-old woman, well-known for her dedication to rescuing animals that gained her a devoted audience on social media, has died by suicide, according to confirmation from the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office. This statement supports what her husband, Ethan Frankamp, initially shared.
Raines hanged herself in the barn on her property in Faribault, Minn., the medical examiner said. She was found dead on June 20, TMZ reported.
Her death was announced in a June 22 Instagram post by her distraught husband.
“She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and she ended her life,” he said, saying her death is “the biggest loss of my life.”
Ethan Frankamp stated that his wife, who had more than 2.45 million subscribers on YouTube, suffered from an “online bullying campaign.” This harassment reportedly came from both people she knew and individuals associated with “other animal sanctuaries” over the years.
“[Mikayla] felt as if the entire world had turned against her,” Frankamp said, adding that this “hurt her a lot.”
Frankamp said he performed CPR on Mikayla for 15 minutes when he found her lifeless body while he waited for paramedics to arrive.
He added that her young daughter, Freya, was “heartbroken” by her mother’s death.
“To those who drove her to this point, everyone responsible for making her feel this way, I wish — I wish you could see what I saw when I found her, and I wish you had to witness me performing CPR on her for 15 minutes until the first responders arrived,” expressed Frankamp.
“We have suffered a loss that is unimaginable. 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.”
“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,” he added.
Following the news of her death, 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.