Is this papaya tree a goner or can it come back?
That looks pretty bad. I would normally say that its a beyond help because its growing terminal is gone. Is there insect damage in the center? I looked up the following website that states that if the main terminal is damaged then side shoots may develop. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg054
I suppose you could wait a month and watch the base of the plant, and if nothing begins to grow then you could chop it.