From New York Post · · 2m
Army paratrooper who rescued journalists dies at 50
Sean Michael Lee spent two decades in the 82nd Airborne, then devoted his life to rescuing people in crisis zones across the globe.
In brief
Sean Michael Lee spent two decades in the 82nd Airborne, then devoted his life to rescuing people in crisis zones across the globe. A soldier's commitment to service doesn't end when the uniform comes off. Lee spent 30 years running toward crises, from Iraq to Afghanistan to Ukraine to hurricane zones, driven by the…
Paratrooper who rescued journalists dies
Sean Michael Lee, a 20-year Army veteran and member of the 82nd Airborne Division, died Sunday at age 50 from esophageal cancer caused by burn pit exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Combat deployments shaped his values
Lee served multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a paratrooper, where he learned duty, loyalty, and competence under pressure that defined the rest of his life.
“He was, to his core, a paratrooper. Long after he took off the uniform, the values forged there remained the organizing principles of his life.”
Evacuated thousands from Afghanistan
In 2021, as Afghanistan's government collapsed, Lee worked with the nonprofit Save Our Allies to help evacuate thousands of people during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal.
Rescued Fox News correspondent in Ukraine
In 2022, Lee was in Poland delivering supplies when he helped extract Fox News correspondent Benjamin Hall, who was severely injured after Russian forces attacked his vehicle near Kyiv.
“We got the call, we had just finished up a staff meeting with our folks back in the United States, and I can tell you that in about 90 minutes our guys were out the door and on the way.”
Supported wounded veterans nationwide
Lee worked with The Independence Fund to help wounded veterans, and in 2024 lived out of a tent in North Carolina delivering hurricane relief supplies to communities where support systems had collapsed.
Worked at Veterans Affairs until the end
Most recently, Lee worked under Secretary Doug Collins at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, continuing to serve veterans even as his own cancer battle intensified.
A constant presence for those he loved
Lee lived with a close friend's family for years, showing up for first days of school and Halloween celebrations while supporting the widow and children of a fellow 82nd Airborne soldier who died from combat injuries.
“He never missed a first day of school or a Halloween with us. Until his final breath, he remained that constant.”
Lost two best friends to the war
Lee's two closest friends, Sergeant Michael Verardo and Sergeant Allen Thomas, both deployed with him to Afghanistan and passed away before him, leaving Lee as a survivor of his generation.
Legacy measured in lives saved
Former Special Forces sniper Tim Kennedy said Lee redefined service and was one of the finest men to serve the country, with a legacy measured in Afghan families given new chances and communities that received help when forgotten.
“This country has lost one of the finest men ever to serve it.”
The short version
A soldier's commitment to service doesn't end when the uniform comes off. Lee spent 30 years running toward crises, from Iraq to Afghanistan to Ukraine to hurricane zones, driven by the values forged in combat.
