After the tragic death of Mikayla Raines, the founder of Save A Fox Rescue, Finnegan the fox was one of the living reminders she left behind. Finnegan’s passing has now been confirmed by her husband, Ethan Raines.
The passing of Mikayla Raines shook many people to their core. The founder of Save A Fox Rescue died by suicide after enduring an overwhelming amount of online hate and harassment. Finnegan the fox was the animal closest to her and held a very special place in her heart. Her husband, Ethan Raines, has now confirmed that he has also passed away.
The Famous Internet Fox Finnegan
Finnegan was generally described as a happy and lively creature, as evident in the many videos he appeared in. He is also known for providing the vocal sounds used for Kiriko’s Kitsune in Overwatch 2.
Finnegan was the most talkative, laughy boy you've ever seen, and she wanted to share that with the world.
Mikayla Raines and Finnegan shared an extraordinarily close bond. He slept in the same bed as her, joined her on walks, and was almost always somewhere nearby, according to her husband, Ethan Raines.
Together with Finnegan by her side, Mikayla grew Save A Fox Rescue, with him frequently appearing alongside her in online content and helping raise awareness for the rescue. He was widely known for his cheerful demeanor and strong food motivation, traits that endeared him to the thousands of visitors who toured the sanctuary over the years.
That one smiling, laughing, sassy fox helped save hundreds, no thousands, of lives.
The views generated by Finnegan on the Save A Fox Rescue social media accounts helped grow a large following and played a significant role in bringing the rescue to where it is today.
Reunited Again
Ethan shared Finnegan's story within a YouTube video, where he also confirmed the passing of Finnegan two months prior. "Finnegan was there for her, while she was there for him." he states.
The confirmation came so late because the family first needed time to process Finnegan’s passing, especially as one tragedy followed another.
After Mikayla Raines died on June 20, 2025, Finnegan’s joyful laughter slowly faded. According to her husband, Ethan Raines, he became less playful, slept more, and eventually even began to ignore treats.
He was ready to go and be with Mikayla again. So the decision was made to euthanize him.
Finnegan was diagnosed with a mass around his lungs. The only possible option that might have saved him would have been chemotherapy, but the family ultimately decided against putting him through it. They chose instead to share Finnegan’s final days in the video.
Mikayla Raines and Finnegan will always be remembered through Save A Fox Rescue. As the family shared, there is comfort in believing that he is reunited with his mom once more.
If you or somebody you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to the Samaritans (116 123) in the United Kingdom or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) in the USA. For a list of worldwide hotlines, click here.
Were you familiar with Save A Fox Rescue? Did you know Finnegan or maybe even visited one of the tours? Let us know in the comments.