PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Dr. Michael Fabrizio is retiring after more than four decades of seeing patients and their families in Pittsfield. He’s a New York native who landed in Massachusetts after a residency at the Berkshire Medical Center.

“I have to say that it's been a pleasure and a privilege, and I've loved what I've done," Fabrizio said. "I just love working with the kids and the families.”

Fabrizio is seeing his patients for the final time in the coming weeks. On Wednesday he met Megan and her son Logan who are among the many families the pediatrician has welcomed into his office for multiple generations.

“It's humbling to say the least, but it's nice to know that I still have the confidence of the families after all these years," Fabrizio said. "We're trying to help the patients as much as we can find new pediatricians and a new family practice if they happen to be older.”

Fabrizio is closing his practice after 44 years in Pittsfield. He has more than 1,800 patients who his office is now helping to find a new doctor and while he said the transitions have been smooth, the idea of getting a pediatrician to take over the practice didn’t work out.

“It's just not easy to get someone to come in," Fabrizio said. "We did try, but we were unable to recruit anyone.”

He said the best advice he can offer to young pediatricians is what his mentor, Dr. George Porter, told him decades ago.

“He called it the three A's, be affable, be available and be able," Fabrizio said. "Those three A's have made such a difference for me. And I think over the course of the years they have been what sustained this practice. I believe the the families and the children have gotten that message when they've come to this office.”

When Fabrizio looks back on his own career, he said he’s thankful for the opportunity to have helped so many families for so long.

“I have to say that I have been blessed, my family, my career," he said. "I don't know any other way to put it. I just feel like I've had the privilege to serve the community. And I hope that I've made the community safe and healthy and a better place for the children and families that we take care of.”

Fabrizio said he will continue seeing some patients by referral only through his developmental and behavioral specialty. His office’s final day of practice will be Friday, June 30.