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Donovan MeyerA survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting has died at age 26.
Donovan’s sister, Nancy Meyer Bowenconfirmed that his brother committed suicide on December 15 After battling schizophrenia for seven years, “Thank you for the outpouring of love and support our family has received from the community since Donovan’s passing,” he wrote via Facebook. “I have seen your messages, heard your voicemails, and am deeply grateful for every expression of remorse. I don’t have time for conversations right now as I continue to grieve, but please know your kindness has not gone unnoticed.”
“Thank you for keeping our family in your hearts and honoring Donovan’s memory with such grace, compassion and love,” she continued.
Donovan’s family detailed his mental health struggles in a statement GoFundMe page Created to help with funeral costs and fund a clinic that “will provide health care, housing and hope to people of all ages living with behavioral health issues across Florida.” Donovan was attending Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, when a gunman killed 17 people on February 14, 2018.
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“The loss of our family’s youngest child is an indescribable sadness – one that will echo throughout our lives forever,” his family wrote. “Yet, even in our grief, we still choose to tell Donovan’s truth so that other families don’t have to suffer in silence like we have.”
Donovan’s family recalls how he has changed in the years since the tragic school shooting.
“The Metayer child, ‘Donnie’ as he was affectionately called, was a radiant child. He was brilliant and curious, always excelling academically, and his intellect was matched only by magnetic humor and warmth that could effortlessly light up any room.” They wrote in the statement how he “suffered unimaginable grief” that turned into “depression, guilt, emotional instability and prolonged isolation, replacing the vibrant young man we once knew.”
“While he dreamed of college and a future in computer science, his deteriorating mental health made those dreams difficult to achieve,” the family continued. “Over the next few years he was hospitalized multiple times for suicidal ideation. Like many young people, he struggled to come to terms with his mental health diagnosis.”
Donovan underwent years of treatment, including therapy and medication. He later experienced a mental health episode in 2021 that resulted in him receiving involuntary treatment under Florida’s Baker Act, in which a person is placed on temporary, involuntary mental health detention.
“Donny often hid his pain so as not to burden his loved ones, even as our family fought alongside him,” his loved ones recalled. “As a young Black man, seeking care through limited resources, systemic barriers, and the reality of dealing with a mental health crisis made his path even more rocky.”
Donovan’s and The Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic provided him with “a lifeline, providing guidance, compassion and help.” Full of hope for his future. “
“With their support, Donny began to recover, earned his IT certification, and joined the team at the Office Depot in Coral Springs, where he was quickly promoted,” the GoFundMe statement added. “After years of challenges, he began to develop a sense of independence and a future he could believe in. His progress makes our family extremely proud.”
The statement continued: “Downey’s passing is a heartbreaking reminder of the mental health crisis that plagues our young people and the lasting trauma that gun violence inflicts on our communities. As we mourn his passing, we are breaking the code of silence on his memory… Although Downey’s life was short, his impact will be eternal.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or considering suicide, Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
