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Mikayla Raines’ husband, Ethan Frankamp, is picking up the pieces at the SaveAFox rescue after her death by suicide.
“There’s a feeling here at the rescue I’ve never felt before. Empty. Sad. Cold. Despite all of the animals and staff here, there is an overwhelming loneliness,” Frankamp wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, July 1. “But I am trying to get out, and make sure the animals feel loved. I’m trying to be a good dad. I’m trying to make up for the absence of their favorite person. I can’t explain it to the animals, and I can’t make it comprehensible for our daughter. But I can be there for them. Just like Mikayla always was.”
Frankamp shared that he has “never experienced anything so difficult, so absolutely life shattering” but he is “trying to be as strong as I can.”
“I wanted to thank you all for your overwhelming support. I hope Mikayla can see it, all of it. I desperately hope she can feel the support, love and compassion everyone is showing for HER,” he wrote. “I hope it washes over her like warm waves, and she feels nothing but peace. I hope she’s surrounded by animals she has loved and lost. Thank you all, from the entire team at Saveafox. ❤️.”
Frankamp shared via YouTube last month that his wife died by suicide after facing alleged online bullying. “She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life,” Frankamp said in the video. “It breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”
In the wake of Raines’ death, Frankamp’s sister created a GoFundMe to support him, particularly in covering funeral expenses. In a separate GoFundMe, Frankamp’s sister encouraged fans to fundraise for the future of the couple’s daughter, Freya.
“As you know Mikayla Raines recently passed away, she is survived by her husband, Ethan and 3yr old daughter, Freya,” the message read. “There have been a few people asking about where they can donate towards college and future expenses for Freya. Ethan plans to continue the non-profit, SaveAFox, in Mikayla’s honor. This will make it much more challenging to put aside money for Freya’s future. It would be a huge blessing to Ethan and Freya to have some money set aside for her. Thank you for all your support.”
While reflecting on her daughter’s final days, Sandi Raines explained that Mikayla had recently rescued 500 foxes and rehomed 400 of them.
“She was just beating herself up that she couldn’t find homes for the last hundred; it wasn’t quite fast enough. She was still finding them, but not as fast as she found the other ones. She was beating herself up about that,” Sandi exclusively told Us Weekly.
Sandi also claimed that Mikayla had been navigating online bullying, which began four years ago. Sandi shared that the alleged internet harassment “broke” Mikayla, who never cared about online fame and only wanted to rescue animals.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
