The tragic ripple effects of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, have claimed another life. Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, a survivor of that horrific day, has died by suicide at the age of 26, his family has confirmed.
A Life Marred by Trauma
Donovan Metayer was a senior at the high school on February 14, 2018, when a gunman opened fire, killing 17 people and injuring at least 17 others. His family stated that his final year of high school was shattered by the violence, leaving him to carry "unimaginable sorrow." The vibrant and academically gifted young man, born on September 16, 1999, began a seven-year struggle with severe mental health issues, including schizophrenia, depression, guilt, and emotional instability.
"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 established to cover funeral expenses and support a Florida behavioral health organization.
A Difficult Path to Healing
Despite dreaming of a future in computer science, Donovan's deteriorating mental health made pursuing college difficult. Over the following years, he was hospitalized multiple times for suicidal thoughts and struggled to accept his diagnosis. In 2021, he was placed under Florida's Baker Act for involuntary mental health treatment, which also temporarily prevented him from buying a firearm.
His family highlighted the additional challenges he faced, noting, "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." With support from Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic and a private psychiatrist, Donovan later found hope. He earned an IT certificate, got a job at Office Depot in Coral Springs, and was quickly promoted, building a sense of independence.
A System's Fatal Failure
Tragedy struck when a critical safeguard failed. The family revealed that a Risk Protection Order barring Donovan from purchasing a firearm lapsed in early December 2024. Legally allowed to buy a gun, he purchased a handgun. A week later, on December 15, 2024, he used that handgun to take his own life in the family home.
"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," his family said. "As we grieve his loss, we are breaking the code of silence in his memory." His sister, Nancy Metayer Bowen, shared the fundraiser on Facebook, thanking the community for their support.
The family's courageous decision to speak out underscores the long-term psychological wounds inflicted by mass shootings and the urgent need for sustained mental health support and effective firearm safety laws for at-risk individuals.
