Parkland School Shooting Survivor Donovan Metayer Dies by Suicide at Age 26: ‘He Carried Unimaginable Sorrow’

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, with an intellect matched only by a magnetic humor and warmth that could light up any room,” the family wrote. Donovan was born on Sept. 16, 1999.

His loved ones said the final year of his high school experience was deeply affected by the shooting — a trauma they believe he carried for years afterward. They said he struggled with severe mental health challenges, including depression, guilt, emotional instability, and long stretches of isolation.

“Though he had dreamt of college and a future in computer science, his worsening mental health made those dreams difficult to reach,” the family wrote. Over the years, they said, he was hospitalized multiple times for suicidal ideation and found it hard to accept his diagnosis.

According to his family, Donovan spent years in treatment, including therapy and medication. In 2021, they said, a mental health episode resulted in him receiving involuntary treatment under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows officials to place someone on a temporary mental health hold for evaluation and stabilization. The hold 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,” the family wrote. They also described how limited resources, systemic barriers, and the realities of navigating mental health crises as a young Black man made finding consistent care even more difficult.

Eventually, they said, Donovan and his family connected with the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic and a private psychiatrist, which became “a lifeline, offering guidance, compassion, and hope for his future.”

“With their support, Donny began to heal,” his family wrote. They said he earned an IT certificate and began working at Office Depot in Coral Springs, where he was quickly promoted. His progress, they added, brought renewed hope and pride.

Despite those gains, the family said Donovan’s Risk Protection Order — a civil court order that prevents someone from purchasing a firearm — lapsed earlier this month, and he was able to purchase a handgun.

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

They described his death as a painful reminder of the mental health crisis affecting young people and the lasting trauma communities can endure after gun violence. They said they hope speaking openly about his story will help other families feel less alone and push for better support.

Bowen also shared the GoFundMe on Facebook, thanking the community for its messages and support.

The Metayer family said some of the money raised will be used to endow a fund at the Henderson Clinic that will help provide healthcare, housing and support for people of all ages living with behavioral health conditions across Florida.

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

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

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