Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, a survivor of the devastating 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, has died by suicide at the age of 26. His family announced that he passed away on December 15, following a 7-year battle with schizophrenia triggered by the trauma of the Valentine’s Day massacre.
Metayer was a senior at the high school on February 14, 2018, when a gunman killed 17 people and injured 17 others. Described by his family as a “radiant child” who was brilliant and academically gifted, with a magnetic humor and warmth that could light up any room, affectionately known as “Donny,” he saw his life profoundly altered by the event. The trauma led to withdrawal, depression, guilt, emotional instability, & isolation in the months that followed.
His dreams of attending college and pursuing a career in computer science faded as his mental health deteriorated. Over the years, he faced multiple hospitalizations for suicidal ideation and struggled to accept his diagnosis. In 2021, a severe episode resulted in him being placed under Florida’s Baker Act, temporarily barring him from purchasing firearms through a Risk Protection Order.
Donovan found support through treatment at the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic & with a private psychiatrist. He earned an IT certificate and began working at Office Depot in Coral Springs, where he was quickly promoted and began building independence. However, when his Risk Protection Order lapsed earlier in December, he purchased a handgun from a local shop. A week later, he used it to take his own life in the family home.
In statements shared, Donovan’s family expressed profound grief, posting on Facebook and GoFundMe, thanking the community for their overwhelming support. The family added, “The loss of our family’s youngest child is a sorrow beyond words. We are choosing to speak Donovan’s truth, so that other families do not have to suffer in silence the way we have.”
A GoFundMe aims to cover funeral expenses & establish a mental health fund in Donovan’s name & support the Henderson Clinic to provide healthcare & housing for people of all ages with behavioral health conditions.
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