Sean Michael Lee, a former Army paratrooper who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, died Sunday at age 50 after battling esophageal cancer linked to burn-pit exposure. After leaving the military, he continued helping people in crisis, including thousands evacuated from Afghanistan and a wounded correspondent rescued from Ukraine. Lee also supported wounded veterans and disaster survivors through humanitarian work. His military and civilian service was remembered as a lifelong commitment to helping others.
Lee served for 20 years, including with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Bravo Company of the 2-508 Parachute Infantry Regiment. His post-service efforts took him from Afghanistan and Ukraine to disaster zones in the United States, before he most recently worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
| 1) | Military service and combat deployments |
| 2) | Evacuations during the Afghanistan withdrawal |
| 3) | Rescue work in Ukraine |
| 4) | Humanitarian aid and veterans support |
| 5) | Cancer, legacy and tributes |
Military service and combat deployments
Sean Michael Lee served two decades in the U.S. Army and was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and completed multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Lee also served in Bravo Company of the 2-508 Parachute Infantry Regiment, a unit whose Afghanistan deployment included heavy casualties and numerous Purple Heart recipients.
His military service shaped the way he approached later work. An obituary described duty, loyalty, competence under pressure and commitment to those nearby as values that continued to guide him after he left uniformed service. Two close friends and fellow Afghanistan veterans, Sgt. Michael Verardo and Sgt. Allen Thomas, died before Lee.
Evacuations during the Afghanistan withdrawal
In 2021, as Afghanistan’s government collapsed and foreign forces withdrew, Lee joined the nonprofit organization Save Our Allies. He helped coordinate efforts to evacuate thousands of people from the conflict zone during a fast-moving and dangerous operation.
The work reflected Lee’s transition from military operations to civilian crisis response. His experience in airborne and combat units helped him operate under pressure, organize teams and move toward people facing immediate danger. The evacuation effort also extended his service to Afghan families and others who were seeking a safe route out of the country.
Rescue work in Ukraine
In 2022, Lee was in Poland helping deliver supplies to the front line after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During that period, he became involved in the extraction of correspondent Benjamin Hall, who had been critically wounded when Russian forces attacked his vehicle near Kyiv. Two other members of Hall’s crew were killed.
Lee later recalled that his team moved quickly after receiving the call, leaving within about 90 minutes after a staff meeting in the United States. The operation made him part of the effort that brought Hall out of the conflict zone for medical treatment, adding an international rescue mission to his record of service.
Humanitarian aid and veterans support
Lee continued assisting people after the Ukraine mission. Through The Independence Fund, he worked to support wounded veterans and their families. In 2024, he helped deliver life-saving supplies to North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
According to his obituary, Lee lived in a tent while working in the state, helping residents in areas where normal support systems had broken down. His work ranged from transporting supplies to reaching communities that had been left without reliable assistance. Most recently, he worked under Secretary Doug Collins at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Cancer, legacy and tributes
Lee’s esophageal cancer was attributed directly to exposure to burn pits during his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He died Sunday at age 50 after the illness, which highlighted the long-term health consequences faced by some veterans of those wars.
Former MMA fighter and Special Forces sniper Tim Kennedy said Lee had devoted his life to other people and continued responding wherever help was needed.
“Sean redefined the word service. He did not just volunteer to put on the uniform and join the 82nd Airborne. He dedicated his entire life to other people.”
Lee’s obituary said his life should be measured by the people who reached safety because he moved toward danger, the veterans he helped and the children who knew him as Uncle Sean. That description captures a career that continued well beyond his military deployments.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lee served 20 years in the Army, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| 2 | He helped evacuate thousands during Afghanistan’s 2021 collapse. |
| 3 | He assisted in extracting wounded correspondent Benjamin Hall from Ukraine in 2022. |
| 4 | His later work included veterans support and hurricane relief in North Carolina. |
| 5 | He died at 50 from esophageal cancer linked to burn-pit exposure. |
Summary
Sean Michael Lee’s service extended from combat deployments with the 82nd Airborne Division to evacuations, international rescue work, veterans advocacy and disaster relief. His death at 50 was attributed to esophageal cancer caused by burn-pit exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan. Colleagues and friends remembered him for repeatedly placing himself in difficult situations to help others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Sean Michael Lee?
Lee was a 20-year Army veteran and paratrooper who served with the 82nd Airborne Division before continuing humanitarian and veterans support work.
What rescue was Lee involved in?
In 2022, he helped with the extraction of correspondent Benjamin Hall, who had been severely wounded in a Russian attack near Kyiv.
What caused Lee’s death?
His esophageal cancer was attributed to exposure to burn pits during his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He died at age 50.