Who was Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer? Parkland school shooting survivor dies by suicide; family opens up about his ‘unimaginable sorrow’ and mental health struggles

Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting in Florida, has died at the age of 26, his family said. Nancy Metayer Bowen, sister of Donovan, said in a Facebook post that her brother died by suicide on December 15, 2025 (Monday), after fighting a battle with schizophrenia for seven years.

Born on September 16, 1999, Donovan was a resident of Coral Springs, Florida, and was an IT professional. He was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland when a mass shooting took place on February 14, 2018, claiming the lives of at least 17 people.

“On Monday, December 15th, my baby brother, Donovan, committed suicide after a seven-year battle with schizophrenia,” Nancy Metayer Bowen said in her Facebook post. She also expressed gratitude towards community for all the love and support she and her family received since the passing of her brother.


“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 wrote on Facebook.




“To honor Donovan’s life and legacy, our family is establishing a mental health fund in his name. This fund will expand access to mental health services and support for individuals and families who need it most. Your generosity, compassion, and continued support mean more than words can express during this time. In lieu of calls, messages, or flowers, I invite you, if you are able, to consider a donation of any amount to support this effort. Thank you for holding our family in your thoughts and for honoring Donovan’s memory with such grace, compassion, and love,” the post further read.

Donovan’s family starts a fundraising campaign

Donovan’s family starts a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to cover the 26-year-old's funeral expenses, as well as help fund 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 on a GoFundMe page. "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 further stated.


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"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’s family said.

Donovan Metayer’s family opens up about his ‘unimaginable sorrow’

Donovan’s family spoke at length about his final year of high school, which was tainted by the shooting incident, which reportedly also left at least 17 injured besides those killed.

The family of the 26-year-old wrote on the GoFundMe page that he "carried unimaginable sorrow" that left him dealing with mental health issues, including "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. "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 treatment

Donovan underwent years of treatment that included therapy and medication, and one mental health episode in 2021 resulted in him receiving involuntary treatment under Florida's Baker Act. This meant that a law enforcement official, health professional, or judge placed him on a temporary, involuntary mental health hold for crisis evaluation and stabilization, according to PEOPLE. The Baker Act also imposed a temporary ban on him and barred him from purchasing a firearm.

"Donny often masked his pain to not burden those he loved, even as our family fought alongside him," his family wrote. "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."