Scholarship Memorial Fund Vision

Our vision for the Donovan Kayne Lujan Memorial Fund is to provide scholarships for those who are passionate to help others who are suffering from mental illness.  We would like to increase the amount of mental health assistance to prevent more suicides from occurring.

Scholarship Memorial Fund Mission

The Donovan Kayne Lujan Memorial Fund mission is to provide scholarships to budding mental health professionals.  Increasing the availability of mental health assistance will help save the lives of others suffering from mental illness. 

A critical contributing factor leading to Donovan’s untimely passing was the difficulty of finding the help he required in a timely fashion.  After returning to New Mexico at the end of his first semester in college he was unable to refill his prescriptions without seeing a psychiatrist in New Mexico.  Between the increased demand caused by the pandemic and New Mexico’s shortage of mental health professionals, Donovan was not able to get established with a professional before returning to Colorado for his next semester. 

Donovan was always there for his family and friends, easing their pain through listening with love and attention, or making them smile through his nutty antics.  Donovan would absorb pain so others would not have to experience it.

In the spirit of Donovan’s love and devotion and his proclivity to help others, we would enjoy nothing more than to turn our tragedy into an opportunity to support the greatest number of people we can. 

Who Was Donovan Kayne Lujan

There are not enough words in the English language to define the man who was Donovan Kayne Lujan.  Donovan touched the heart of every person who crossed his path in a unique way. Upon his untimely passing so many of Donovan’s friends and family shared stories with us describing what he meant to them.  People would paint the picture of an energetic wacky young man who brought smiles to their faces.  Others spoke of his compassion and his ability to absorb their pain, and his uncanny ability to comfort folks in the toughest of times.  Some spoke of his intellectual gifts.  Donovan’s philosophy instructor wrote us a letter after learning of Donovan’s passing, and in that letter his instructor said: “He always had something insightful to say, something strikingly mature, I thought for such a young man, so I came to count on him to lead off a good discussion…” Regardless of how folks would characterize Donovan, the one recurring word used to describe Donovan was “genuine”.

Donovan loved so many different things throughout his life, whether it was his shoes, his motorcycle, his car, or riding his bicycle. However, his true passion was music.  Whether it was dancing in his crazy ways, sitting still absorbing music, or sitting in his homemade studio recording his latest song, music was at the forefront of his life.  Donovan shared his pain and suffering through his music.  

Only Donovan’s love for his friends and family surpassed his passion for music.  Donovan loved nothing more than to spend time with his friends and family, and it did not matter what you were doing.  Donovan’s favorite activity was to sit across the table from his friends and family and just chat about anything and everything.  When Donovan was sixteen/seventeen working at Safeway after school, he would convince his dad to take him to the local bar and grill to have dinner and chat. No matter what, Donovan would make the time for all of his friends and family.

A close friend of the family remarked about how Donovan was not your typical teenager.  If you would bump into him while Donovan was with his friends he would never turn away or try to rush you off.  Instead he would walk up to you and carry on with conversation as if you were part of the group. It never mattered who you were.  Donovan would never shy away from telling his mother he loved her when his friends were around.  Donovan was always himself no matter the cost.

Donovan’s capacity for love was nothing short of incredible.  Unfortunately, the one person he could never find a place for in his heart of hearts was himself, which would eventually lead him to commit the ultimate sacrifice and take his own life.  On January 31, 2021 Donovan lost his battle with his bipolar disease.  He could no longer fight the demons inside, and he succumbed to the pain it caused.

Donovan Kayne Lujan Obituary

Never Surrender to Your Mental Despair
Do It For Donny

2023 Do It For Donny Scholarship Recipients

1. Tailor Bond, Jackson Tennessee
2. Finch Wilson, Butler PA

2022 Do It For Donny Scholarship Recipients

1. Gena Lawson of Albuquerque, New Mexico
2. Cory Duffield of Seattle, Washington

Fund Administrators

• Damien Lujan
• Misty Lujan

Donations

CharitySmith accepts donations in two ways:

The above Memorial Fund is established as a division of Charitysmith Nonprofit Foundation (EIN 87-0636433). All donations are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax law. Receipts for tax purposes are sent via US Mail within two weeks of donation. Please consider asking if your employer participates in a gift-matching program. If so, your donation may be matched by your employer.

For questions regarding your donation or this memorial fund please contact CharitySmith.