Far from Guam, but close at heart, a Fayetteville family worries

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (WTVD) -- As he looks at his family pictures, Roque AcFalle has plenty of reason to worry about loved ones still living in Guam.

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"We tell them to pray to God and try and instill confidence in our leaders, and trust the leaders to make good decisions," AcFalle told ABC11 on Thursday.

AcFalle is a native of Guam.

"I grew up there," he said. "Until I was drafted in '68."

The island nation is under the protection of the United States, which has a large military presence there, including American B-1 Bombers that can reach the Korean peninsula. AcFalle said recent North Korean threats have everyone on Guam - and many here in the US - on edge.

"Everyone is worried, but I told them let's live your lives like normal," AcFalle said. "Don't let this bother you. Sure it's on our minds all the time, but we have to live our lives."

For now, AcFalle keeps in contact with his relatives on Guam, some of whom he hasn't seen in years.

While some worry that North Korea will make good its threat to strike American targets around Guam, he just hopes and prays that never happens.

"You have South Korean there, and Japan," he noted, "so before something reaches Guam, I'm sure Japan and the South Koreans do something before it reaches Guam.

"We just need to trust our leaders, pray to God that everything is OK, and this goes away," he added.