I don't think that if you reach out in a friendship that you are risking your relationship unless you want to start a new relationship with this person based on the old feelings.

To be fair and to hopefully ease your mind a little, you can't be in control of whether someone else lives or dies. You might be able to help him somehow, maybe you can't. But whatever happens to him that is not determined by your actions.

I guess you need to ask yourself why do you want to reach out, what kind of relationship do you hope to begin and is that relationship a healthy one?