“She never cared about the fame, she just wanted to save animals”: Mikayla Raines’ mother breaks silence after her daughter’s death
Following the death of her daughter at just 29, Mikayla Raines’ mother has spoken publicly for the first time.
Sandi Raines spoke to Us Weekly in an emotional interview, sharing not just who Mikayla was behind the screen, but also what she believes contributed to her daughter’s death.
This interview comes just days after Mikayla’s husband, Ethan Frankamp, announced her passing through a YouTube video posted to the SaveAFox channel.
“She just adored animals”
According to her mom, Mikayla’s connection to animals started early. Sandi said she remembers her daughter calmly approaching a wild deer as a child, and somehow, the deer didn’t run.
“I just knew from then,” Sandi said, recalling how Mikayla would talk to animals like they understood her.
As she got older, that love only grew. Mikayla created SaveAFox, a Minnesota rescue that gave hundreds of animals a second chance. Her YouTube channel drew millions of views, and followers around the world tuned in to watch the daily lives of rescued animals like Dixie and Finnegan.
But according to her mother, the online attention wasn’t what Mikayla wanted.
“She never cared about the fame,” Sandi said. “She just wanted to save animals.”
Battling mental health and online cruelty
Mikayla’s family has also opened up about her mental health. She had been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and autism, and had dealt with those challenges for most of her life.
But Sandi said the real turning point came four years ago, when a wave of online harassment began, saying that it “broke her,” and “put her over the edge.”
Mikayla leaves behind her husband, their daughter Freya, and the many animals whose lives she changed.
Her husband, Ethan, has pledged to continue Mikayla’s mission and keep the fox rescue sanctuary going—something her mother, Sandi, also confirmed.
People are grieving all over the internet
Under the video Ethan posted, fans shared their heartbreak.
“A child lost their mother, a man lost his wife, and dozens of animals lost their best friend,” one comment read. “The people who harassed her should be charged.”
Another viewer wrote, “Mikayla inspired me to become a wildlife rescuer and carer in Australia. Her life impacted so many people.”
On Reddit, fans remembered how much her videos meant during hard times.
“This is absolutely heartbreaking,” one user said. “I discovered SaveAFox during the pandemic, and watching Mikayla’s interactions with all those crazy foxes helped me get through lockdown. RIP.”
Some couldn’t understand how she became a target at all.
“PEOPLE WOULD BULLY SOMEONE LIKE HER?!?” one user asked. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?”
“The internet sucks at times,” another wrote. “You have people hiding behind anonymity, tearing down kind people instead of building community.”
And under a post by Change.org, one user summed it up, saying, “She saved so many lives… only for the world to encourage her not to save her own,” they wrote.
Fans of Mikayla can join a celebration of life put on by her husband, Ethan, and the SaveAFox rescue on July 12, 2025.
For more information about suicide prevention or to speak with someone confidentially, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) or Samaritans (U.K.).
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