TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Just after 7 in the morning, the calls and texts poured in.
"I never thought this day would be here," City of Tonawanda Police Captain Fredric Foels said.
He was getting messages of well wishes and congratulations for the last day of a career that began in 1982.
"My father was a police officer here for 25 years, he retired in 1972," Foels said. "Seeing him growing up in a police environment, seeing him come home from lunch with his police uniform on and seeing how he carried on with his business, it was an inspiration for me to join the force."
After just 16 weeks in the academy and two weeks of field training, he was on his own. It's much different from the now 21-week academy and 10 to 12 weeks of field training.
Foels says he still remembers one of the biggest lessons from day one.
"The day I started, there was a lieutenant retiring at the same time. He told me, 'Fred, let me tell you something about this job.' He says, 'You blink once and you'll have 10 years on. You blink twice, you'll have 20 years. That's how fast it goes,' and boy, he was true. To me, it really went by fast," Foels said.
Not many in this lifetime ever have a passion that makes them want to stay in their career forever.
"Just three words: love the job," Foels said.
But no matter how much heart there was, Foels was facing something else.
"Father time catches up with you and father time said it's time, so it's time to leave," Foels said.
So after a 40-year career, it was only only right to leave with a last call of service with the family he had in the department just as long.
The entire department listened to Foels on the dispatch radio one last time, and then saluted the captain for his commitment to the station over the years.
After Foels shook everyone's hand, he looked out at all of them saying, "Thank you all. Thank you."
As Foels held back tears, one of his colleagues shook his hand responding:
"One hell of a career sir. Hell of a career."