On December 15, 2025, Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer — known to friends and family as Donny — died by suicide at the age of 26. His death has reopened painful conversations about the lasting impact of trauma, the complexity of mental illness, and the urgent gaps in long-term mental health care for survivors of violence.
Donovan was a survivor of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida — an event that changed his life forever. While the world remembers Parkland through headlines and anniversaries, for Donovan, the trauma never ended. Survival did not mean safety from its consequences.
Those who knew Donny describe him as bright, endlessly curious, and deeply compassionate. He possessed a sharp mind for technology, excelling in his professional work, and had a warmth that made people feel seen and valued. On the outside, he appeared to be building a future — one marked by achievement, intelligence, and resilience.
But inside, Donovan was fighting an illness few could fully understand.
Years after Parkland, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a severe mental health condition that brought relentless internal battles. Despite therapy, medical treatment, family support, and professional success, the illness persisted. Trauma compounded psychosis, creating a storm that no single intervention could quiet.
His family stood beside him, advocating fiercely, loving him through every episode and setback. Yet even unwavering support could not erase the invisible wounds left behind by surviving mass violence — wounds that often resurface years later, long after public attention has moved on.
Donovan’s death is not just a personal tragedy; it is a systemic one.
Mental health experts emphasize that trauma survivors, especially those exposed to mass shootings, face elevated risks of long-term psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, depression, and psychotic disorders. Too often, support is short-term, fragmented, or inaccessible — leaving survivors to navigate lifelong consequences alone.
Donovan’s story underscores a painful truth: surviving does not always mean healing.
As conversations around gun violence and mental health continue, his life stands as a powerful reminder that trauma does not operate on a timeline. The need for early intervention, sustained care, and comprehensive mental health resources is not optional — it is lifesaving.
Though his life was tragically cut short, Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer leaves behind a legacy that demands action. His story urges society to listen more closely, to take invisible struggles seriously, and to show up for those who carry silent battles long after the headlines fade.
If even one life is saved because someone felt seen, heard, or helped after hearing Donny’s story — then his legacy endures.