UNITY — Lee Getchell has lived in Kuwait for seven years and his wife, Judy, for five years. When their son, Reed, who is 18 and lives in Unity, attempted to call his parents early Thursday morning, he was unable to get through.

Reed had been awakened at 7 a.m. by his uncle, Richard Dalton, who told him that Iraq had invaded Kuwait. Reed’s thoughts turned to his parents who live in Mangaf, a small city 45 miles south of Kuwait City, the capital of the occupied country.

“I was worried about my parents, especially my father,” he said. “I was afraid he might have been at work and that something could have happened to him.”

Reed then tried several times to contact his parents at their home.

“I was scared and nervous. I didn’t really know what happened there,” he said. ” I wanted to know if it was worse than the television reported.”

Each time he dialed, however, he received a recording that all international phone lines were busy. “Personally, I think the Iraqis took control of the telephone lines,” he said.

Finally, at 10 a.m., he contacted the home office of his father’s company in Chicago where he learned that his parents were safe and had been instructed to stay in their house.

“I’m still nervous,” he said early Thursday afternoon, “but I’m feeling a lot better knowing my mom and dad are all right — that they are not hurt or anything.”

Reed’s grandfather, Dana Trull, said that he found the television broadcast difficult to take in at first.

“My first reaction was, I didn’t believe it,” he said. Newscasts on Wednesday, he said, had reported that talks between the two countries were continuing.

Trull said that Lee Getchell’s work is classified, adding only that his stepson works in a laboratory.

Reed, who will attend Unity College this fall to study wildlife management, said he also was worried about Kuwaiti and Arab friends he had made during his six years in Kuwait.

The 18-year-old said that he had known that tensions were mounting between Iraq and Kuwait, but a call to his parents two weeks ago left him feeling that the situation wouldn’t reach this point.

“They didn’t think Iraq would attack them,” he said.

If there are any developments in his parents’ situation, Getchell said, the Chicago office will be in touch with him.

“All I can do now is sit and wait and hope for the best,” he said.

By Doug Kesseli Of the NEWS Staff

UNITY — Lee Getchell has lived in Kuwait for seven years and his wife, Judy, for five years. When their son, Reed, who is 18 and lives in Unity, attempted to call his parents early Thursday morning, he was unable to get through.

Reed had been awakened at 7 a.m. by his uncle, Richard Dalton, who told him that Iraq had invaded Kuwait. Reed’s thoughts turned to his parents who live in Mangaf, a small city 45 miles south of Kuwait City, the capital of the occupied country.

“I was worried about my parents, especially my father,” he said. “I was afraid he might have been at work and that something could have happened to him.”

Reed then tried several times to contact his parents at their home.

“I was scared and nervous. I didn’t really know what happened there,” he said. ” I wanted to know if it was worse than the television reported.”

Each time he dialed, however, he received a recording that all international phone lines were busy. “Personally, I think the Iraqis took control of the telephone lines,” he said.

Finally, at 10 a.m., he contacted the home office of his father’s company in Chicago where he learned that his parents were safe and had been instructed to stay in their house.

“I’m still nervous,” he said early Thursday afternoon, “but I’m feeling a lot better knowing my mom and dad are all right — that they are not hurt or anything.”

Reed’s grandfather, Dana Trull, said that he found the television broadcast difficult to take in at first.

“My first reaction was, I didn’t believe it,” he said. Newscasts on Wednesday, he said, had reported that talks between the two countries were continuing.

Trull said that Lee Getchell’s work is classified, adding only that his stepson works in a laboratory.

Reed, who will attend Unity College this fall to study wildlife management, said he also was worried about Kuwaiti and Arab friends he had made during his six years in Kuwait.

The 18-year-old said that he had known that tensions were mounting between Iraq and Kuwait, but a call to his parents two weeks ago left him feeling that the situation wouldn’t reach this point.

“They didn’t think Iraq would attack them,” he said.

If there are any developments in his parents’ situation, Getchell said, the Chicago office will be in touch with him.

“All I can do now is sit and wait and hope for the best,” he said.