CNN PRODUCER NOTE     MajorLRogers lives near Cat Haven sanctuary, where an intern was killed when she was mauled by a male lion on Wednesday. He took his girlfriend and her children to the sanctuary for the first time in December 2012 and remembers visiting Cous Cous, the lion involved in the incident. When workers released the lion into the pen, Rogers started filming with his iPhone. 'You almost gain a respect for the animal. We sat there and observed. When they said they were going to release him, I started filming. It showed him in his grace, but also an aggressive side. For all of us it was an honor to be part of it all,' he said.

He remembers the experience of seeing a lion up-close: 'They released him from the pen and it’s just an eerie feeling when you can be that close to them that you can hear them breathe. ... And that’s what the sanctuary gives you, a personal experience, up-close with these cats,' he said.

Tanya Osegueda, spokeswoman for Project Survival, the nonprofit which runs Cat Haven, confirmed that the lion in Rogers’ video is the right lion. 'Yes, this is Cous Cous,' she said. She clarified that the incident is pending investigation.

Rogers said he felt 'sadness' when he heard about the intern who had died. 'We had a great experience with two interns when we went. You could see the interns had a great passion and respect for these animals. They were always very cautious when they approached the fence. … There’s this kind of sadness hanging over it and wondering if it’s one of these girls that gave us the tour,' he said.
- zdan, CNN iReport producer