Faith & Spirituality

SEAL Recounts Spiritual Awakening After Being Shot: 'Lightning Bolt' Message from God

Mike Drop · I Survived Afghanistan, But Almost Got K*lled in California Over $3k | Ep. 300 · July 14, 2026

Mike Drop

I Survived Afghanistan, But Almost Got K*lled in California Over $3k | Ep. 300

"I remember just like praying. I was like, 'God, if you're going to take me, just like do it fast, please.' And I literally like lightning bolt hit me. And it was like this is one-tenth of the pain I could put you through. And that always sticks out in my brain... it meant two things to me. I was like it means I'm going to live. I'm going to experience more pain than this right now."

While bleeding out from a gunshot wound under a redwood tree in Humboldt County, Yiannis describes experiencing direct communication from God, feeling a 'lightning bolt' and receiving a message that his current pain was only a fraction of what was possible. He also received a message that 'Michael's coming for you,' and when he regained consciousness, the paramedic treating him was named Michael. The experience catalyzed his return to devout Christianity.

About this episode

Mike Ritland interviews Derek Yiannis, a former Navy SEAL who served 12.5 years with eight as a Team 7 operator, in an episode that reveals both heroic military service and a chaotic post-service spiral. Yiannis recounts intense combat experiences in Afghanistan, including a suspected ambush by Afghan commandos that resulted in heavy enemy casualties, and his role as lead vehicle driver responding to a coordinated suicide bomber attack on the US consulate in Herat involving over a dozen attackers. His transition out of the military proved tumultuous: after an affair during a Thailand deployment ended his first marriage, Yiannis entered California's cannabis industry where a financial dispute led to him being shot in the chest with a .38 special in Humboldt County, collapsing half his lung. During this near-death experience under a redwood tree, he describes receiving direct communication from God in the form of a 'lightning bolt' message, catalyzing a profound spiritual awakening. His struggles continued with multiple arrests for fighting police officers and a two-month stint in San Diego County Jail during COVID, where he fought off three inmates simultaneously and eventually led Bible study groups. Yiannis also reveals he had recurring prophetic dreams about his ex-girlfriend being trapped in fire, which tragically came true when she died in the 2019 Conception boat fire off Santa Cruz. Throughout the interview, he discusses his elite paintball career as a national champion before joining the military, his eventual reconciliation and remarriage to his first wife Rebecca after working as an ocean kayak tour guide in Maui, and his current work as a shooting instructor at The Outfit in San Diego alongside other Team guys. The conversation explores themes of faith, redemption, military brotherhood, and the difficulty many special operators face transitioning to civilian life.

Key takeaways

Derek Yiannis believes Afghan commandos set up his SEAL platoon for ambush in Farrah Province, resulting in 20-30 enemy casualties after heavy contact from both sides.
Yiannis drove lead vehicle as QRF responding to US consulate attack in Herat involving 12-13 suicide bombers and VBIEDs, with classified intelligence on foreign funding of attackers.
Former Team 7 operator was shot in chest with .38 special during cannabis farm dispute in Humboldt County, experiencing spiritual awakening and direct message from God while bleeding out.
Yiannis had recurring prophetic dreams of ex-girlfriend trapped in fire weeks before she died in the 2019 Conception diving boat disaster that killed 33 people off Santa Cruz.
After multiple arrests for fighting police, spent two months in San Diego County Jail during COVID where he fought three inmates simultaneously and later led Bible study groups.
Thai Navy SEAL joint exercise affair ended his first marriage, leading to years of instability before reconciliation and remarriage to same wife after working as Maui kayak tour guide.
National champion paintball competitor before BUD/S now works as shooting instructor at The Outfit in San Diego and is developing documentary projects featuring SEAL community stories.