Haitian American Vice Mayor Bowen Launches Mental Health Awareness Program After Brother's Suicide

Coral Springs Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen is urging people who are suffering from a mental illness to seek professional help which might save their lives.

Picture courtesy of FacebookBowen, the first Haitian American to serve on the Coral Springs City Commission, is leading a mental health awareness campaign following the death of her younger brother, who committed suicide in December.

Bowen announced the death of Donovan Metayer on social media, calling him a "radiant child."

 He  survived the 2018 Parkland shooting massacre and had struggled with mental health ever since, the family said.

"My baby brother, Donovan, died by suicide after a seven-year battle with schizophrenia,” Metayer Bowen wrote in a Facebook post.

She thanked community members for their support in the days following Donovan’s death, writing, “I see your messages, hear your voicemails, and am 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.”

Donovan Metayer was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida when alleged gunman Nicohlas Cruz opened fire on Valentine's Day seven years ago, killing 17 students and teachers and seriously wounded 17 others.

Donovan Metayer's family said the shooting left him reeling and slipped into a bout with depression.

He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, a serious mental health condition that affects how people think, feel and behave, according to the Mayor Clinic.

The condition may result in a mix of hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and behavior, and hallucinations involve seeing things or hearing voices that aren't observed by others.

Delusions involve firm beliefs about things that are not true. People with schizophrenia can seem to lose touch with reality, which can make daily living very hard.

People diagnosed with schizophrenia need lifelong treatment which includes medicine, talk therapy and help in learning how to manage daily life activities.

For Donovan Metayer, the condition derailed his plans of enrolling in college and earning a degree in computer science.

According to his family, he was hospitalized for having suicidal thoughts and was Baker-acted in 2021 and after a mental health breakdown.

The Baker Act, formally known as the Florida Mental Health Act, allows for the involuntary examination and treatment of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis who may pose a danger to themselves or others.

With the help of a psychiatrist and a mental health clinic, Metayer seemed to be getting better and even landed a job at Office Depot, where he earned a promotion and an IT certificate.

But he experienced a setback which led to his suicide.

His family said Metayer purchased a gun from a gun shop and shot himself to death.

 Nancy Metayer Bowen said her family is creating a mental health fund in Donovan’s name, an effort that aims to expand access to mental health services and support for people and families who need it most.

“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,” she wrote. “Thank you for holding our family in your thoughts and for honoring Donovan’s memory with such grace, compassion, and love.”

Nancy Metayer Bowen was the first Black and Haitian American female Coral Springs City Commissioner when she was first elected in 2020, according to her bio.

 Her vision for the city includes making the city a leader and sustainability and resilience and supporting small businesses and exploring opportunities in solar manufacturing, technology hubs and other community industries.