Mikayla Raines' Husband Discusses ‘Hardest Time' After Her Death by Suicide

Mikayla Raines’ husband Ethan Frankamp is opening about what he described as “the hardest time” following her death.

“I just wanted to make an update and I just wanted to say [and] thank all of you for your support through what is definitely the hardest time for everyone here,” Frankamp shared in a memorial video posted via Instagram and YouTube on Sunday, July 27.

“I wanted to thank you all for the comments and the letters and the flowers and the gifts for [the pair’s daughter] Freya and just for all the positivity that you guys have been outpouring on us, because it’s been really hard for the staff and the family and for everyone that was close to her,” Frankamp continued, “I know that you all saw her as a hero to the animals but she was a lot more than that and I wanted you guys to kind of see some stuff that you wouldn’t typically see on the SaveAFox social media.”

Frankamp went on to explain that his late wife “wasn’t just an animal rescuer,” but was also “an advocate and educator and a daughter and a sister and a mother.”

“Another not just to Freya but also to [others] — she was a surrogate as well,” he continued, adding that she was also “an artist and she was a really great singer” as as well as “a lot of things that most people didn’t get to see.”

Frankamp confirmed Raines’ death on Monday, July 23. In a video shared online, he said that “ridiculous claims and rumors” being spread online were a contributing factor.

“She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer and she ended her life,” he explained. “It breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”

“And to 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 see me find her and I wish you had to watch me perform CPR on her for 15 minutes until the first responders arrived,” Frankamp added. “And I wish you had to watch helplessly as paramedics attempted to revive her lifeless body. And I wish you had to hear the screams and the cries of her family.”

Frankamp said he “put together this memorial video” so that SaveAFox supporters “could kind of get a glimpse of what she was like behind the scenes, and I hope you guys enjoy it.

“It’s really hard to watch but it is worth the watch,” he concluded.

Raines founded SaveAFox when she was 20 years old. The nonprofit “from fur farms, as pet surrenders, or were seized from their owners as the result of an illegal situation and then brought to us,” per the organization’s website.

“​​Mikayla was truly the most amazing and inspiring individual I have ever known, and not having her here makes everything feel empty,” Frankamp captioned his video. “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.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.