(NewsNation) — The mother of a U.S. veteran who was captured in Ukraine said while she has been able to speak with her son multiple times, she never knows when the phone will ring.
Lois “Bunny” Drueke said she’s never without her phone because the calls from her son, Alex Drueke, come randomly.
“I just never know. I know that they tend to center around midday — which is evening for him,” she said. “So I’m especially careful during those times when I think that there’s a possibility that he might call.”
Alex Drueke left his home in Alabama and traveled to the war-torn country to fight alongside Ukrainian soldiers against the invading Russian army. He was taken captive in battle north of Kharkiv.
His mother said there has been some progress made in her son’s case.
“The State Department let me know yesterday that the U.S. Embassy has spoken to the Ukrainian Embassy and the Ukrainian Embassy has assured us that they are now working on Alex and Andy’s case,” she said.
Andy Huynh, also a U.S. veteran from Alabama, was taken captive along with Alex.
Lois said she hopes her son’s situation continues to garner media attention.
“It’s so important for us to keep their story out there,” she said. “You know, the squeaky wheel gets the grease? Well, I like to say the squeaky wheel gets the release. Because we want our boys released.”