Chase Skylar DeMayo (Dr Chase Skylar)
U.S. Air Force veteran, near-death experiencer and IANDS keynote speaker. Chase the Light.
Orlando, Florida, United States •
Request Pricing
About
Chase Skylar DeMayo is a U.S. Air Force veteran, near-death experiencer, speaker and writer based in Central Florida. He served as an enlisted Public Affairs journalist at Langley Air Force Base, after training at the Defense Information School. He began SERE training, which ended after a knee injury, and was medically retired in 2008. On April 1, 2008, at age 20, Chase went into cardiac arrest at Langley. He describes a profound near-death experience of light, love, peace and Jesus, and he came back with a message he still lives by: spread light, love and laughter. The cardiac arrest and Air Force context are part of his documented history. His memories and spiritual meaning are his personal testimony. For about 12 years he told almost no one. A Wounded Warrior Project Project Odyssey retreat in October 2020 gave him the courage and the words to share it. Since then he has delivered the keynote at the IANDS 2024 International Conference in Phoenix, moderated and hosted the IANDS military and veteran experiencer panels in 2024 and 2025, and was a featured speaker at IANDS 2025. He has been featured on Fox News Saturday in America, Telemundo and Military.com. He is a Leadership Orlando Class 105 graduate and a contributor to We Touched Heaven. Chase speaks with warmth, curiosity and humor about joy, purpose, military NDEs, veteran support and coming home changed. Chase the Light is his invitation to find joy, spread laughter and live with purpose. The title Dr. refers to his nonclinical Doctorate in Holistic Counseling from the University of Sedona. He is not a medical doctor or licensed mental health provider.
Speaking Topics
Signature Programs (4)
At 20, Chase was an Airman at Langley Air Force Base when his heart stopped. What he brought back was surprisingly simple: he'd been taking life way too seriously, and he was meant to spread light, love and laughter. This keynote is a warm, funny and honest look at what that moment taught him about joy, love and choosing to live fully. You don't have to share his beliefs to put it into practice. Takeaways: - Why joy and laughter are worth taking seriously. - Simple ways to live the Chase the Light idea: find joy, spread laughter, live with purpose. - A fresh, unafraid way to think about love, purpose and everyday life.
Audience
Conferences, faith and community groups, civic events, corporate culture, general public
Duration
30 to 60 minutes
Delivery
Military culture can make an extraordinary experience feel impossible to talk about. Chase knows this firsthand: at 20, in uniform, he was afraid of being judged or seen as unfit, so he stayed quiet. Drawing on his own story and his years hosting IANDS military and veteran experiencer panels, he looks at disclosure, identity and reintegration. The goal is informed, respectful support. This program is educational and isn't clinical advice. Takeaways: - Why service members and veterans often keep NDEs to themselves. - How identity and reintegration can shift after an experience like this. - Practical ways families, chaplains and organizations can listen and respond with respect.
Audience
Veteran organizations, military families, chaplains, clinicians (educational only), conferences
Duration
45 to 75 minutes (workshop option)
Delivery
Chase kept his near-death experience mostly to himself for about 12 years. This is an honest conversation about the fear and vulnerability that kept him quiet, and the spiritual change that kept growing anyway. He shares how a Wounded Warrior Project retreat in 2020 finally gave him the courage to speak, and what happened when other veterans began telling him their own stories. Takeaways: - What makes extraordinary experiences so hard to share. - How courage to speak can grow after years of silence. - Why one honest story can open the door for others.
Audience
NDE groups, IANDS chapters, podcasts, intimate community settings
Duration
30 to 45 minutes plus conversation
Delivery
Your Experience with Chase
Your perspective matters!
What was it like engaging with Chase?