MILWAUKEE — The mother of an American journalist and Marquette University graduate is filled with gratitude as investigators recover and try to identify human remains of ISIS hostages in Syria.
Diane Foley holds her son, Jim Foley, close to her heart.
"Jim was just good. He was good-hearted, passionate, curious about the world, and wanted to make a difference for good," Diane said.
Watch: Mother of journalist Jim Foley grateful for effort to recover remains of ISIS hostages
She told TMJ4 it was about a month ago when she learned the Soufan Group, led by a good friend Ali Soufan, would work with the Qatari government to recover the remains of ISIS hostages, including Foley. He was beheaded by ISIS in 2014.
Workers recovered more than a dozen people after four days in an area that had long been difficult to access. The remains will be analyzed for DNA.
"I applaud the effort because that part of Syria is still not that safe," Diane stated.
Diane says so far there have been no matches for her son.
"It's quite a process because the area where they felt the likelihood of their burial has been bulldozed and the earth has been moved, so it's very difficult," Diane explained.
To her, Foley's legacy of courage and good lives on through the work of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation.
She says the group's advocacy has helped bring home more than 160 American hostages and wrongful detainees.
Earlier this month, Diane received an honorary degree from Marquette University and served as commencement speaker.
"I'd love to be able to bring him home and bury him with the rest of the family. It would be a gift, but it's not necessary to me. Jim's legacy is alive," Diane explained. "That's the way Jim lives on in many ways to me is in a very live, vibrant way."
Diane says the timeline of the recovery mission is unclear due to the nature of the work. She sees her son's spirit in the people who are trying to bring families closure.
"These folks are doing this for us. It's a very personal mission for us when you think of all of the other important issues and problems in the world that they would take time for us it's huge," Diane said.
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