Ben Nathan decided to become a physical therapist after the effect one had on his life.

As a three-season athlete and the captain of the soccer, basketball and baseball teams at Hall-Dale High School, Nathan, 18, developed patellar tendonitis, which impacted his knees and his sports career.

Nathan said the pain was so severe that he remembers driving home, unable to bend his knees sitting in the car.

“I had a hard time playing the sports I wanted to play, and it was really taking a toll on my wellness,” said Nathan. “My knees were so bad, and with physical therapy, it helped me enjoy sports again and would enjoy having the gift to do that for a career.”

Sports are important to Nathan and helped him through the pandemic. Being isolated at home, he developed unhealthy habits and gained 60 pounds, and basketball helped get him going again.

But then, the patellar tendonitis set him back again — until he went to a physical therapist.

“I had to go through physical therapy, and it really made me realize that I also have a passion to get athletes back to the sports they are playing,” he said.

Nathan has a full scholarship to attend the University of Maine in Orono to study kinesiology with a concentration in physical therapy this fall.

He also looked at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, but wanted to save money in the long run, especially as he plans to do a post-graduate year, possibly at Husson University to earn a doctorate in physical therapy.

Nathan spent his time at Hall-Dale playing sports, but he was also involved as the president of National Honor Society and vice president of the class of 2024. He is also a freelance photographer for weddings, which takes up most of his summers.

“I’m the guy that takes the pictures for the groomsmen,” he said.

Outside of school, Nathan works at Hannaford and raises money to run in 5K races, usually for the Trot for Hunger in Washington, D.C., where he has family.

He credits his single mother for raising him and for who he is.

“She’s the reason I am the way that I am today,” he said.

Nathan wants to stay in Maine, but possibly venture down to Boston at some point. He feels optimistic for his generation’s future.

“It’s daunting, but I think my generation is the generation that can save the world,” he said.