Parkland School Shooting Survivor Donovan Metayer Dies by Suicide at Age 26: 'He Carried Unimaginable Sorrow' By Charlotte Phillipp 11

Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting in Florida, has died, his family said. He was 26.

In a post shared on Facebook, Donovan’s sister, Nancy Metayer Bowen, wrote that Donovan, of Coral Springs, Fla., died by suicide on Dec. 15, following a seven-year battle with schizophrenia.

Donovan, an IT professional, was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland when a mass shooter opened fire, killing 17 people on Feb. 14, 2018.

“The loss of our family’s youngest child is a sorrow beyond words — one that will echo through our lives, forever,” his family wrote on a GoFundMe page, created to help cover the 26-year-old’s funeral expenses, as well as help fund an organization that assists people with behavioral health conditions in Florida.

“Yet even in our grief, we are choosing to speak Donovan’s truth, so that other families do not have to suffer in silence the way we have,” the family continued.

“The baby of the Metayer family, ‘Donny,’ as he was affectionately called, was a radiant child. Brilliant and curious, he always excelled academically, with an intellect matched only by a magnetic humor and warmth that could light up any room, effortlessly,” the family said of Donovan, who was born on Sept. 16, 1999.

The family went on to candidly detail how Donovan’s final year of high school was marred by the shooting that left 17 dead and at least 17 others injured — and how he “carried unimaginable sorrow” that left him dealing with severe mental health issues, including “depression, guilt, emotional instability, and long periods of isolation [which] replaced the vibrant young man we once knew.”

“Though he had dreamt of college and a future in computer science, his worsening mental health made those dreams difficult to reach,” the family said. “Over the years that followed, he would be hospitalized multiple times for suicidal ideation. Like so many young people, he struggled to accept a mental health diagnosis.”

According to his loved ones, Donovan underwent years of treatment that included therapy and medication, and one mental health episode in 2021 resulted in him receiving involuntary treatment under Florida’s Baker Act — meaning a law enforcement official, health professional or judge placed him on a temporary, involuntary mental health hold for crisis evaluation and stabilization. The Baker Act also temporarily barred him from purchasing a firearm.

“Donny often masked his pain to not burden those he loved, even as our family fought alongside him,” his family wrote. “Finding care through limited resources, systemic barriers, and the realities of navigating mental health crises as a young Black man made his path all the more steep.”

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Donovan and his family eventually became involved with the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic, as well as a private psychiatrist — which both became “a lifeline, offering guidance, compassion, and hope for his future.”

“With their support, Donny began to heal, earning an IT certificate and joining the team at Office Depot in Coral Springs, where he was quickly promoted,” the family wrote on the GoFundMe. “After years of challenges, he was beginning to carve out a sense of independence and a future he could believe in. His progress was a source of immense pride for our family.”

Despite the progress made, Donovan’s Risk Protection Order — a civil court order that prohibits a person from purchasing a firearm — lapsed earlier this month, his family said, and the 26-year-old was allowed to purchase a handgun.

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“A week later, he would use that same handgun to take his own life in our family home,” the family wrote.

“Donny’s passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the mental health crisis plaguing our youth and the lasting trauma of gun violence on our community,” the family said. “As we grieve his loss, we are breaking the code of silence in his memory.”

Donovan’s sister also shared the GoFundMe on Facebook, thanking the community for their support following her brother’s death.

“I see your messages, hear your voicemails and [am] deeply grateful for every expression of remorse,” Bowen wrote.

The Metayer family plans to use some of the money raised to endow a fund at the Henderson Clinic “that will provide healthcare, housing and hope for people of all ages with behavioral health conditions throughout Florida.”

“Though Donny’s life was brief, his impact will be everlasting,” the family’s GoFundMe message concluded.

Donovan’s visitation and funeral service will take place on Saturday, Jan. 3, in Coral Springs.

As of Sunday, Dec. 21, the GoFundMe has raised $20,000 toward a $70,000 goal.

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.