GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- This year's Chicago Air and Water Show 's hometown hero is a man who has spent his entire career helping people in emergencies.

He's worked with Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications for over three decades.

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He was set to take off from the Gary Jet Center Friday on a flight with the Thunderbirds.

Throughout his career as a chief fire communications operator, Mathew Tokarz has answered and dispatched over 4 million emergency calls. From delivering babies over the phone to keeping people calm in fires. He says he doesn't do it for the accolades, but on Friday, he gets to be celebrated as the hero.

Tokarz said he was very excited and a bit nervous to fly along as the hometown hero with the

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