Raines created a successful YouTube channel dedicated to her advocacy efforts rescuing foxes from fur farms.

Animal rescue activist and YouTube star Mikayla Raines has died by suicide, according to her husband. She was 29.

Ethan Raines announced her death in an emotional video he posted to her YouTube channel on Monday.

He 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. “And it breaks my heart that someone who is selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”

  • RidgeDweller@sh.itjust.works
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    17 hours ago

    If your job is causing you enough mental anguish to go through with suicide, it’s reasonable to suggest you find another. That goes for any job.

    • Bane_Killgrind@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      15 hours ago

      If you are just working for money, yeah.

      People work for things that benefit everyone at a personal cost all the time, and advances are made because of people like that. It’s a good thing, which had tragic consequences in this instance.

      We need to protect people who put the world before themselves. This isn’t her failing, it’s ours.

      • RidgeDweller@sh.itjust.works
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        13 hours ago

        I’m in agreement with you, though I still think it’s a fair suggestion for people putting the world before themselves to find another line of work too. I’m not saying that’s the only reasonable suggestion. I’m all for trying to mitigate the risk of abuse and trauma in the first place. I took Optional’s comment as an intended show of support to folks that might be struggling with similar abuse in their life.

        • Bane_Killgrind@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          6 hours ago

          Alright, but in general just leaving the work to other people doesn’t mitigate, it just shifts the abuse to other people.

          Social workers, emergency aid, etc have high suicide rates.

    • minnow@lemmy.world
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      15 hours ago

      it’s reasonable to suggest you find another

      If it’s “just a job” like working retail at Target, sure, that’s a respectable take. It’s still blaming the victim, but it’s also advocating for the victim to address the issue themselves.

      But if it’s not “just a job”? If it’s your life’s work, your calling, something you love more than anything else?

      That idea is very likely what drove her to the brink. You really have no fucking clue what you’re talking about.

      I’ve been there and I almost didn’t survive. Choosing to live isn’t always so easy.