There were streams of “I’m going to miss you’s” and teary eyes as Dr. Vijay Vyas retired after 35 years as an internist in Andalusia Thursday.

Vyas, and wife Dr. Darshanna Vyas, came to Andalusia in October 1977, when Andalusia Regional Hospital was looking to hire two internal medicine physicians, and they’ve been here ever since.

The couple completed medical school in India and finished their residencies in Chicago.

“It’s been very pleasant here,” he said. “The hospital has grown 10 times since we came.

“Andalusia has been nice to us, and we’ve been nice to the hospital,” he said. “It has come along way in terms of care. The number of physicals has multiplied.”

But what Vyas said he’ll miss most is the patients he’s cared for all of these years.

“They’ve all been coming in my office crying this week,” he said. “I’m going to miss them.”

As for the retirement, Dr. Vijay will join his wife, who retired last July.

“We have children and grandchildren in Atlanta,” he said. “We plan on splitting our time between there and here, as well as traveling.

The couple’s two children graduated from Andalusia High School, and one is a neonatologist at Atlanta’s Emory University; the other earned an MBA from Northwestern University and works in Atlanta.

“We’ll definitely be doing something other than medicine,” he said. “Whatever that may be.”

A reception was held Thursday in the Andalusia Regional Hospital Lobby.

ARH CEO Mark Dooley applauded Vyas for his 35 years in health care in Andalusia.

“Thirty-five years goes without saying,” he said. “Drs. Vijay and Darshanna have been an asset to the community.”