Santa Barbara police confirmed that 28-year-old world traveler Lee MacMillan, 28, was hit and killed by a train at the intersection of State and Hollister Streets in Noleta.
Police issued a warning earlier this week asking the public for information about MacMillan’s disappearance. She found that she had left her home without a car, keys, wallet or cell phone. Although there was no suicide note, police expressed concern that MacMillan’s death had been self-inflicted.
On December 5 last year, she discussed at length in an Instagram video post about her struggles with depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. In the Post, she linked her mental health problems with her own needs coming last and those of others first.
Seen from the outside, MacMillan’s life would have been shaped by adventure, health, beauty, freedom and romance. MacMilllan has been an accomplished globetrotter since 2016, traveling to the top of South America in a Dodge Sprinter from Canada – where she was born – with her then boyfriend and fellow traveler Max Bidstrup and her Australian shepherd Occy. Together they – Max & Lee – had a following of 495,000 subscribers Youtube channel.
They would announce their parting ways in late 2019, and in early 2020 MacMillan set off with two other social media-savvy street fighters on a sprinter tour of Morocco. However, COVID would abruptly halt that migration after three months, and MacMillan settled in Santa Barbara about six months ago.
After MacMillan’s death, friends expressed their shock at her loss and commended her for serving as a mental health attorney.
If you or someone you know thinks of harming yourself, call 9-1-1 or the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-8255. For a list of regional resources, see countyofsb.org/admhs.
Every day, the staff at the Santa Barbara Independent work hard to find the truth out of rumors and to keep you updated on what is happening across the Santa Barbara community. Now there is a way to directly enable this effort. Support the Independent by: a direct contribution or with one Subscription to Indy +.
Add to favorites
