The Price of Freedom

Matt Axelson was a smiling, sandy-haired native of California. In 2000, he entered the Army and became a Navy SEAL. Then 9/11 happened. In the sweltering summer heat of Afghanistan in 2005, Axelson’s team was told to capture a senior member of the Taliban. Unfortunately, the team was betrayed by locals sympathetic to the Taliban, and the SEALs found themselves surrounded by upwards of 100 enemy fighters. During a fierce firefight, Axelson was hit in the head and chest, but continued fighti...