MILWAUKEE — A decade after journalist James Foley’s tragic death at the hands of ISIS militants in Syria, Marquette University is paying tribute to his legacy.

Tom Durkin, Foley’s close friend at Marquette, spearheaded the preservation of Foley’s letters and journals.

James Foley, known as Jim to those close to him, was not just a journalist, but a college roommate, brother, son and teacher. Durkin fondly recalls their first time meeting at the now-closed campus bar, O’Donoghue’s, where their friendship took root over shared beers.

“It was our first meeting point. He sat down next to me, and we were drinking beers together,” said Durkin. “He was an easy guy to want to hang around with. He was really interested in a lot of stuff. He was someone who was always interested in a little adventure.”

Foley’s adventurous spirit led him to share people’s stories and cover conflicts globally, knowing the inherent risks. After being previously taken hostage in Libya and released, Foley returned to the U.S. and visited Marquette to talk about his experience before heading to Syria for another assignment.  

“I knew I couldn’t change his mind about going,” said Durkin. “It was different because it was more dangerous, and we already knew what could happen.”

Sadly, Durkin’s worst fear came true when he found out ISIS kidnapped Foley. He was kept in brutal conditions before being executed on camera — a haunting image shared across the world.

“Jim’s image near the end of his life was the second most known image beyond the World Trade Centers,” said Durkin. “This is a very important part of American history.”

Durkin wants his friend to be remembered for his life’s work, not his final moments. That’s why now, as director of the James Foley Legacy Foundation, he helped create a vast collection of personal photos, stories, letters and journals that Foley wrote.

“Particularly, I had this letter that Jim wrote,” said Durkin. “It’s a letter, but it’s more of a story that he wrote while being held captive in Libya. He stuck it in his shoe, and it’s written on this piece of paper. I knew it was going to start falling apart, and I didn’t have the means to take care of it.”

Marquette University assisted in archiving and digitizing Foley’s letters, journals and photos, along with content saved on Foley’s computer.  

Katie Blank, the university’s digital archivist, has been instrumental in this massive project. She hopes it inspires future Marquette students.

“Hopefully, the collection will inspire them to get out there, to report, to have the moral courage to tell the stories that need to be told,” said Blank.

As conflicts around the world intensify, Foley’s passion for people and uncovering truth can serve as a beacon of light.

“I don’t think the vast majority of us realize what would happen if we didn’t have reporters telling these stories, and if we didn’t know what was going on around the world,” said Durkin.

Foley’s commitment to journalism is echoed in an archived video where he says, “if I don’t have the moral courage, we don’t have journalism.”

While Durkin would give anything to share another beer with his friend, he finds solace in the belief that sharing Foley’s story ensures his enduring impact.

“Jim’s life, Jim’s work, and Jim’s moral courage will inspire,” said Durkin.

Despite Foley’s aversion to attention, when asked what Foley might say about the preservation of his work, Durkin says, “He might say, ‘let’s take a break and go grab a beer.’ He might say, you know, just, ‘thank you, I appreciate that people are paying attention.’”