Rev. Fred Zagone, S.J., honored with Foley Hero Award

Rev. Fred Zagone, S.J., university chaplain, was awarded the Foley Hero Award by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation in recognition of his faithful commitment to the legacy of Marquette alumnus James Foley.

Foley, a 1996 graduate and freelance journalist, was captured by ISIS in 2012, tortured, and then beheaded by the group in Syria in 2014. The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation was created in 2014 to honor his legacy; it is dedicated to advocating for American hostages and wrongful detainees held abroad and promoting journalist safety.

Father Zagone has been a comforting presence to many in his over 26 years at Marquette, including the Foley family. Diane Foley, the president and founder of the Foley Foundation and James' mother shares that "Father Zagone has been the 'consistent compassionate face of Christ' to our family since the murder of our son. His warmth, kindness and prayer for our family has been a tremendous comfort. He has annually attended the Foley Freedom Awards in Washington, D.C. and offered the invocation. Father Zagone is truly a man of moral courage for others and a 'Foley Hero.'"

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