The Thing- Ben Grimm
Ben Grimm was a young guy growing up poor on the streets of New York, he was part of a gang called Yancy Street Gange where he was the leader.
After he changed his life he started to excel in school where was also a terrific football player, he gained a football scholarship and that's where he met Reed Richards they both were roommates, that's also the time they met Victor Von Doom.
After he established his education he enlisted in the Air Force where he became the best pilot, he was so good that he ended up on the NASA team.
And we all know the history on he became the thing after crashing the aircraft created by his friend Reed Richards.