Parkland Survivor Donovan Metayer Dies at 26, Nearly 8 Years After Tragedy

One of the survivors of the 2018 Parkland school shooting has died after a long struggle with trauma and mental health challenges linked to the attack.

Donovan Joshua Leigh Metayer, a survivor of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School, died by suicide on December 15, 2025. He was 26 years old.

His family said he had struggled with his mental health for several years, and that those challenges deepened following the trauma of the Parkland shooting. His death underscores the emotional toll that mass violence can leave behind, even long after national attention fades.

Family Confirms Donovan Metayer's Death

Metayer's sister, Nancy Metayer Bowen, announced his passing on December 16 in a public message. She shared that the loss of her younger brother had devastated their family and requested privacy while they grieved.

In a later update shared on December 21, Bowen said that Metayer died by suicide following a seven-year battle with schizophrenia. She thanked the community for the outpouring of support.

Donovan Metayer's Journey Through Trauma, Illness, and Hope

Metayer, also known affectionately as "Donny," was the youngest child in the family. He was remembered as a bright, curious child with a sharp intellect and a magnetic warmth that lit up every room.

He graduated from MSD in 2018, the same year a mass shooting occurred on campus. The attack claimed lives and left many others injured, and it permanently marked Metayer's senior year.

In the months that followed, his family noticed a profound change. Metayer became increasingly withdrawn, and the vibrant, social young man they once knew began to struggle with depression, emotional instability, and long periods of isolation.

His dream of studying computer science and becoming an IT specialist became harder to pursue as his mental health declined.

Over the next seven years, Metayer lived with schizophrenia. His family said the condition intensified over time and described his treatment journey as exhausting. He faced multiple hospitalizations for suicidal ideation and often concealed his pain so as not to burden others.

Finding consistent, quality care proved difficult due to limited resources, systemic barriers, and the challenges of navigating mental health care as a young Black man.

In 2021, a severe mental health crisis led to his involuntary hospitalization under Florida's Baker Act. A Risk Protection Order was issued, temporarily preventing him from purchasing firearms.

Soon after, Metayer found stability with the support of the Henderson Clinic and a private psychiatrist. He earned an IT certificate and began working at an Office Depot store in Coral Springs, where he was quickly promoted. These accomplishments, his family said, gave him renewed purpose and a sense of independence.

Earlier this month, Metayer learned that the Risk Protection Order had expired. He legally purchased a handgun. One week later, he took his own life at the family's home.

In the wake of his death, the Metayer family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses and to create a mental health fund in his name at the Henderson Clinic.

The fund will support individuals living with behavioral health conditions, offering access to care, housing assistance, and hope for those facing the same challenges Metayer fought so bravely to overcome.

How the Parkland Shooting Unfolded

On February 14, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at MSD in Parkland, Florida. Nikolas Cruz, then 19, and a former student who had been expelled for disciplinary reasons, entered the school carrying a duffel bag and backpack filled with a rifle, ammunition cartridges, and smoke grenades.

Cruz began shooting inside the Freshman Building, also known as Building 12, at 2:21 p.m. The building housed roughly 900 students, teachers, and staff. Within two minutes, he reportedly killed 11 people and injured 13 others on the first floor.

He continued firing on the second floor but did not hit anyone. On the third floor, he killed six more people and injured four others. Cruz fled the building at 2:28 p.m., leaving his weapon behind.

After walking to a nearby Walmart, Subway, and McDonald's, he was arrested by police approximately 80 minutes after the shooting began.

Seventeen people were killed in total, including 14 students and 3 school staff members. Another 17 individuals were injured. In 2022, Cruz was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted first-degree murder.

In the aftermath, students formed the "Never Again MSD" movement, advocating for gun violence prevention. Florida lawmakers passed new legislation raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21, adding a mandatory three-day waiting period, and allowing certain school employees to be armed.

The state's public safety commission also launched an investigation into the shooting and broader school safety measures.

Cruz pleaded guilty to all charges. During sentencing, defense attorneys presented testimony related to his background, including claims of brain dysfunction caused by fetal alcohol exposure and trauma.

Prosecutors rejected those claims and described Cruz as calculating and violent. The jury was divided on whether to impose the death penalty, resulting in life sentences.

Remembering Donovan Metayer and His Legacy

In a personal message shared online, Bowen reflected on the close relationship she shared with her brother. She described him as his "virgo twin" and "mini me."

The family said they are committed to sharing Metayer's story to honor his life, raise awareness about mental health, and encourage others to seek help when facing similar challenges.

Similar to Metayer, another survivor of a different mass shooting also died early this year. As reported on February 18, former Columbine High School principal Frank DeAngelis confirmed that Anne Marie Hochhalter, a survivor of a 1999 school shooting, passed away on February 16. Hochhalter was 43.

"My Columbine Rebel Family. It is with great sadness and sorrow that I share with you that Anne Marie Hochhalter passed away … of natural causes," DeAngelis said in a statement to Fox News.

Survivor Remembered After Columbine Tragedy

Hochhalter was one of 23 people injured in the April 20, 1999, attack at Columbine High School. She was shot in the back and chest while eating lunch with friends in the cafeteria. The shooting, carried out by twelfth graders Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, left 12 students and a teacher dead before the gunmen took their own lives.

Despite her injuries, Hochhalter remained active in her community and was admired for her resilience. DeAngelis described her as a "pillar of strength."

"She was an inspiration and exemplified never giving up," DeAngelis added. "Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers. She will be missed but never forgotten. Rebels for Life. We love you Anne Marie Hochhalter."

Reflections on the Anniversary of the Columbine Shooting

Hochhalter's passing comes after she publicly reflected on the 25th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. In an April 2024 Facebook post, she shared how this milestone had been her most healing yet.

"25 years have gone by but it doesn't seem that long," she wrote. Hochhalter, who struggled with PTSD, was unable to attend the 20th-anniversary ceremony in 2019 but was there for the 2024 vigil.

She described how, for the first time, she could focus on positive memories from her teenage years. Hochhalter also recalled moments before the shooting, such as playing basketball, watching music videos, and spending time with friends.

At the vigil, she felt connected to those lost in the tragedy, especially when the song "Over the Rainbow" played.

Hochhalter described a moment of reflection, saying that when she saw the empty chairs, it felt as though those who had been lost were still present, smiling, and urging others to focus on the joy and warmth of the memories they left behind.

"The happy memories. They would want us to remember and laugh at their silly goofy antics when they were alive, instead of focusing on how their lives sadly ended. Those 13 are always with us. They’re never forgotten. We are Columbine," she said.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.