According to his family, Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, who survived the massacre that took place at Parkland High School in Florida in 2018, has passed away. He was 26 years old.
Nancy Metayer Bowen, Donovan’s sister, stated in a message that was posted on Facebook that Donovan, who resided in Coral Springs, Florida, passed away on December 15 by taking his own life after a seven-year struggle with schizophrenia.
According to Donovan, who works in information technology, he was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on February 14, 2018, when a mass shooter opened fire, resulting in the deaths of seventeen individuals.
“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 that was created to help cover the expenses associated with the funeral of the 26-year-old. Additionally, the page was created to help fund an organization that provides assistance to people in Florida who are dealing with people who have behavioral health conditions.
“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 concluded in their statement.
It was said that the infant of the Metayer family, who was lovingly referred to as ‘Donny,’ was a youngster who shone brightly. Donovan, who was born on September 16, 1999, was described by his family as “brilliant and inquisitive, he always excelled academically, with an intellect that was matched only by a magnetic humor and warmth that could light up any room, effortlessly.”
The family went on to describe in an open and honest manner how Donovan’s senior year of high school was marred by the shooting that resulted in the deaths of seventeen people and injuries to at least seventeen others. They also described how he “carried unimaginable sorrow” that caused him to struggle with severe mental health issues, such as “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 said in their statement. Over the course of the years that followed, he would be admitted to the hospital on many occasions for having suicide thoughts. He, like a great number of other young people, had a difficult time accepting a diagnosis of mental health.
Donovan was subjected to years of treatment, which included therapy and medication, as stated by his loved ones. In 2021, he experienced a mental health episode that resulted in him receiving involuntary treatment under Florida’s Baker Act. This means that a law enforcement official, health professional, or judge placed him on a temporary, involuntary mental health hold for the purpose of crisis evaluation and stabilization. Additionally, the Baker Act placed a temporary prohibition on his ability to purchase a handgun.
“Donny often masked his pain to not burden those he loved, even as our family fought alongside him,” according to his family’s correspondence. “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.”
Both the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic and a private psychiatrist finally offered “a lifeline, offering guidance, compassion, and hope for his future.” Donovan and his family eventually got engaged with both of these organizations.
“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 stated on the website for GoFundMe. In spite of the difficulties he had faced over the years, he was now starting to establish a feeling of autonomy and a future in which he could have faith. The development that he made was a great source of pride for our family.
It was reported by Donovan’s family that his Risk Protection Order, which is a civil court order that prevents a person from obtaining a weapon, expired earlier this month. As a result, the 26-year-old was granted permission to acquire a pistol. This occurred despite the progress that had been achieved.
“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,” the family said in their statement. “As we grieve his loss, we are breaking the code of silence in his memory.”
Not only did Donovan’s sister publish the GoFundMe page on Facebook, but she also expressed gratitude to the community for their support in the wake of her brother’s passing.
“I see your messages, hear your voicemails and [am] deeply grateful for every expression of remorse,” Bowen concluded his letter.
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It is the intention of the Metayer family to utilize a portion of the funds that have been received to establish a fund at the Henderson Clinic “that will provide healthcare, housing, and hope for people of all ages with behavioral health conditions throughout the state of Florida.”
According to the last statement of the family’s GoFundMe campaign, “Even though Donny’s life was short, his impact will be never-ending.”
Coral Springs will be the location of the viewing and burial ceremony for Donovan, which will take place on Saturday, January 3.
The GoFundMe campaign has now collected $20,000 toward its goal of $70,000 as of Sunday, December 21.
