Donovan Metayer survived the horrific shooting at Parkland High School, where 17 people lost their lives. Now, his family has shared heartbreaking news that the 26-year-old has taken his own life.
In 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. 17 people died, and 18 were injured in what is the worst school shooting in US history.
Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer was one of the students who survived. Sadly, his family has now shared an update that the 26-year-old, who had suffered from schizophrenia for years, has taken his own life.
His sister, Nancy, shared the news on Facebook that her brother, who lived in Coral Springs, Florida, died on December 15 by suicide.
Donovan was working as an IT professional. He was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when the mass shooter opened fire. The family has started a GoFundMe to help cover the 26-year-old’s funeral costs.
Parkland school shooting survivor Donovan Metayer dies by suicide
Also, money will be donated to an organization that assists people with behavioral health conditions in Florida.
“The loss of our family’s youngest child is a sorrow beyond words — one that will echo through our lives, forever,” his family wrote. “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.”
Donovan Metayer. Credit: GoFundMe
Donovan Metayer’s family shared details of the boy’s final year of high school, and that he “carried unimaginable sorrow” after the horrific school shooting.
He suffered from severe mental health issues, including “depression, guilt, emotional instability, and long periods of isolation [which] replaced the vibrant young man we once knew.”
“Struggled to accept a mental health diagnosis”
He underwent years of treatment, his family explained, and after an incident in 2021, he received involuntary treatment under Florida’s Baker Act, a law enforcement official, health professional, or judge placed him on a temporary, involuntary mental health hold for crisis evaluation and stabilization. It also barred him from purchasing a firearm.
“Though he had dreamt of college and a future in computer science, his worsening mental health made those dreams difficult to reach,” the family further wrote. “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.”
Donovan Metayer. Credit: GoFundMe
“Donny often masked his pain to not burden those he loved, even as our family fought alongside him. 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.”
Thanking health clinic and psychiatrist
Donovan Metayer and his family eventually became involved with the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic and a private psychiatrist, both of which 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.”
Donovan was able to purchase a handgun earlier this month as the Risk Protection Order lapsed, his family said. It’s unclear whether a gun is connected to his suicide.
Rest in peace, Donovan Metayer.
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