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Tonya Papanikolas reportingA Provo resident knows just how close he came to danger in Iraq.
He traveled to the country last year as part of a Christian peacekeeping organization. The man roomed with Tom Fox, who was later kidnapped and killed.
William Van Wagenen has had an experience most 28-year-olds couldn't even fathom. Last year, he spent four months in Iraq with the Christian Peacemaker Teams.
William Van Wagenen, Traveled to Iraq with Christian Peacemaker Teams: "They kept coming across cases of people who had been tortured and abused in U.S. prisons."
Van Wagenen did human rights work for the pacifist organization. He documented U.S. abuse of Iraqis and attended demonstrations on behalf of Iraqi detainees. He knew the work was dangerous and that any team member could be kidnapped and killed.
William Van Wagenen "You're always worried it might happen."
While he was in Baghdad, Van Wagenen roomed with 54-year-old Tom Fox. He says he spoke with his older team member about the possibility of being kidnapped.
William Van Wagenen "Despite that danger, he didn't have any other questions if he should leave or be doing something else."
Two months after Van Wagenen left Iraq, Fox was kidnapped with three other team members. Friday, the State Department confirmed Fox had been killed.
William Van Wagenen: "It was just really sad. Sometimes I don't even know if it's hit home yet... That he's been killed."
Van Wagenen remembers his former roommate as a kind, quiet man with strong convictions and a Christian faith that offers hope after death.
William Van Wagenen: "Makes the idea of him being killed a little easier to take, I guess."
Van Wagenen says Fox inspired him. Now he's just praying the lives of the three other activists will be spared.
Van Wagenen was planning to go back to Iraq with the Christian Peacemaker Teams this summer. But now he says he's not sure if he's going to return.
