The family of 26-year-old Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, a survivor of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, shared heartbreaking news that he died by suicide on December 15. Metayer was a senior at the school when the shooting took place on February 14, 2018, an event that claimed 17 lives and forever changed the lives of survivors, families, and the broader community. His family said the trauma of that day marked the beginning of a long and painful battle with mental health challenges that ultimately altered the direction of his life.
In the years following the shooting, Metayer was diagnosed with schizophrenia and struggled with depression, survivor’s guilt, emotional instability, and long periods of isolation. His family noted that while he worked hard to rebuild his life, the aftermath of the mass shooting continued to weigh heavily on him. They described how he faced ongoing challenges that included therapy, psychiatric care, medications, and multiple hospitalizations for suicidal thoughts. Despite these difficulties, family members emphasized that he was intelligent, funny, and compassionate, and that he remained deeply loved throughout his struggle.
According to the statement shared by his family, Metayer took significant steps toward recovery in recent years. He earned an information technology certification, secured employment at Office Depot, and received ongoing mental health treatment from the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic as well as a private psychiatrist. His family said those efforts showed his determination to keep moving forward even as he continued to face serious obstacles. However, they also acknowledged that his journey was marked by instability, setbacks, and the lasting emotional scars of the trauma he endured in 2018.
His mental health crisis in 2021 led to a Risk Protection Order, which barred him from purchasing a firearm. That order expired earlier this month. Within days, his family said Metayer legally obtained a handgun and died by suicide at his home. His death has renewed ongoing debates about gun access, risk orders, and the long-term mental health needs of trauma survivors, especially those affected by mass violence. While his family did not assign blame, they stressed the importance of protections that ensure continued support for vulnerable individuals.
