Donovan Metayer, who survived the 2018 Parkland school shooting, has died at age 26.
Donovan's sister, Nancy Metayer Bowen, confirmed that her brother died by suicide on December 15 after a seven-year battle with schizophrenia, writing via Facebook, "Thank you for the immense love and support our family has received from community in the days since Donovan's passing. I see your messages, hear your voicemails, and deeply grateful for every expression of remorse. As I continue to navigate my grief, I am not in a space to carry conversations at this time, but please know your kindness has not gone unnoticed."
She continued: "Thank you for holding our family in your thoughts and for honoring Donovan's memory with such grace, compassion, and love."
Donovan's family elaborated on his mental health struggles in a statement on a GoFundMe page created to help cover funeral expenses and fund a clinic that "will provide healthcare, housing, and hope for people of all ages with behavioral health conditions throughout Florida." Donovan was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida when a shooter killed 17 people on February 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. "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."
Donovan's family recalled his changing in the years since the tragic school shooting.
"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," read their statement about how he "carried unimaginable sorrow" that became "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 continued. "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 underwent years of treatment including therapy and medication. He later suffered a mental health episode in 2021 that led to him receiving involuntary treatment under Florida's Baker Act, which is when someone is placed on a temporary, involuntary mental health hold.
"Donny often masked his pain to not burden those he loved, even as our family fought alongside him," his loved ones recalled. "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."
Donovan's work with the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic offered him "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 GoFundMe statement added. "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."
The statement continued: "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. As we grieve his loss, we are breaking the code of silence in his memory. ... Though Donny's life was brief, his impact will be everlasting."
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
