Army veteran says near-death experiences influenced second life as priest
SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey (WABC) -- As Memorial Day Weekend approaches, Eyewitness News is taking time to remember and reflect on those who have served and continue to serve our country.
Army veteran David Santos says his near-death experiences in Iraq amplified his appreciation of the power of faith.
That newfound appreciation inspired him to begin a new life as a priest.
A picture shows a small crater that was left after an IED exploded on a road in Iraq. Santos was the crew member responsible for driving over that IED.
"Thanks be to God, they buried the munitions too deep. It made a lot of noise and a lot of dust," he said.
Santos, who is now Father David, years later kept the razor-edged chunk of metal along with his dog tags.
He said his first calling to serve in the Army alongside his twin brother Brian was the Sept. 11 attacks,
"There was such a sense of patriotism (and) willingness to serve. It was really powerful," Santos added.
Once his service to his country was completed, he knew he wanted to serve. But the second time, that call was from God.
An old friend and mentor encouraged him.
"He asked me, 'What do you want to be?' I said, 'I want to be a soldier of Christ,'" Santos said.
In tradition, priests can choose a chalice left by another priest who has passed away to use as his own.
The chalice he selected seemed divine. The inscription on the bottom read
"soldier of Christ."
Father David leads his congregation at St. James the Apostle Church in Springfield. Officiating his niece Juliana's wedding was a proud moment.
But every day in the past 10 years of his second calling has been bringing light into darkness.
"Recapturing our relationship with God can solve 99.9 percent of our problems," he said.
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