ARIMO — Dane Wissenbach’s senior year at Marsh Valley High School got off to a rough start.

The athletic and competitive teen tore his ACL in the second football game of the season.

Doctors told him he needed surgery and nine to 12 months to heal, meaning his final year of high school sports, the one that was most important to him, was over as soon as it began.

“It’s one of those things life threw at me. It wasn’t fair and I didn’t choose it, but it happened,” Wissenbach said. “I had a choice to let it keep me down or turn it into something positive.”

Wissenbach, one of the 61 seniors who graduated from Marsh Valley High School on Tuesday, chose the latter.

Five hours after his surgery, he was back at football practice. He couldn’t participate, but he still wanted to support his team. He went to all their games and stayed involved as much as he could.

He was still on the sidelines by the time basketball season rolled around, but he found a new way to support his teammates. Wissenbach decided to try videography. He bought a camera, learned as much as he could from friends, mentors and YouTube, and started filming practices and games.

“I would put together highlight videos for my team and share them through social media. It pumps the team up,” Wissenbach said, adding that he also wanted other people to see the videos and think, “Wow, OK, Marsh Valley is official.”

Wissenbach got a media pass and traveled with the team to state. He was there with them when the 3A boys basketball team won its first state title since 1988.

Wissenbach says that was one of the proudest moments of his senior year.

In the meantime, Wissenbach also put a lot of work into his own recovery. He listened closely to the advice he received from the experts he worked with and did what they asked him to.

Seven months after he was injured, he was doing well enough that he decided to take a chance and participate in track. He got a late start, beginning several weeks after everyone else.

Wissenbach stuck to one race for most of the season: the 100-meter dash. But the day before district, his coach asked him to run the 200 meter as well as a 4x100 relay.

He ended up taking first in the 100-meter dash, second in the 200 meter, and he and his relay team also came in first.

Wissenbach went on to compete at the state level where he ranked fourth in both the 100- and 200-meter races. His relay team medaled as well, coming in sixth.

“It was a huge feeling of accomplishment because I wasn’t even (supposed to) be able to compete,” Wissenbach said, adding that he loves to compete. “Getting the opportunity to compete was awesome. Being able to have some success was great.”

Now that his senior year is officially over, Wissenbach is planning to enjoy his summer. He wants to make some more memories with his friends, get ready to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and continue his videography, which he’s turned into a business, Dane’s Creative.

He’s been able to film some other sports teams, including Idaho State University’s football team, and weddings.

Looking back on his senior year, Wissenbach says he’s grateful for the community members, teammates, friends and family who supported him through his injury and helped him to turn a negative experience into a positive one.

And he wouldn’t change a thing even if he could.

“I’m grateful that it happened. I wouldn’t take it back in a million years (because of) what I learned from it and what I’ve been able to make from it,” Wissenbach said.