ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Rev. Matt Marino, a respected figure in the local community, expressed disbelief over an event that seemed unthinkable in the peaceful town of St. Augustine. “Such incidents are rare here, and certainly not ones involving strangers,” he noted, describing the attack as “the trifecta of really bizarre.”

Rev. Marino is now opening up about his journey of recovery and forgiveness, a year after a knife attack that nearly claimed his life.

The harrowing event occurred on October 23, 2024, as Marino was having breakfast with a friend on San Marco Avenue. A passerby, a stranger to him, made an offhand comment about having “a lot of problems,” and shockingly, within moments, she attacked him with a knife.

“The knife went in really far,” Marino recounted, reflecting on the surreal moment. “I looked down and realized, ‘Hey, you just stabbed me.’ Her demeanor changed completely after that.”

The attack left him with life-threatening injuries, as the knife punctured his lung and pulmonary artery. In a stroke of fate, a nearby Customs and Border Protection trainer happened to be passing by, equipped with a combat chest seal that would prove crucial in those critical moments.

“He had that thing on me in under a minute,” Marino said. “That’s probably why I’m alive today.”

Rushed to the hospital, doctors told him his survival chances were one percent.

A trauma surgeon later told him, “Thirty-five years in combat surgery, I’ve never saved anybody with your injury.”

Marino said he believes his recovery was nothing short of divine.

“I’m not afraid of anything anymore,” he said. “I’m clearly here because the Lord wants me here.”

In the months since, Marino has chosen forgiveness over anger.

“The first one to forgive is the first one who’s free,” he said.

The accused attacker, Arieana Gibbs, was arrested just hours after the stabbing. She was initially deemed incompetent to stand trial but was found competent in May. Her next pretrial hearing is set for Nov. 3.

Marino continues to preach at Trinity Parish and says he’s grateful for the community that stood by him through prayer, support and faith.