Utah teen receives ‘dream car,' Ford racing trip after learning rare cancer diagnosis has spread to his lungs
A teenager who is fighting a valiant battle against cancer has received a few gifts that have put a big smile on his face.
Joseph Tegerdine, 18, of Springville, Utah, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma bone cancer in May 2019.
At just 13 years old, Tegerdine’s knee pain, originally thought to be simple growing pains, turned out to be cancer.
After completing chemotherapy, he had a rotatinplasty to treat the knee bone tumors, as SWNS reported.
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But in January 2022, cancer was also found in his lungs and his hip.
Kerry Tegerdine, Tegerdine’s mother, told Fox News Digital on Thursday that her son had surgery and chemotherapy to treat the disease.
Joseph Tegerdine of Utah received a Ford Mustang, his "dream car." His mom said, "We're focusing on making memories and doing bucket list items." (SWNS)
In Feb. 2024, cancer was again found in his lungs — causing the family to begin completing some bucket list items for their now-18-year-old son.
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"Joseph is gearing up for radiation to slow the growth, and we’re focusing on making memories and doing bucket list items for him," his mom said.
One of those bucket list items included owning a Ford Mustang — something Kerry Tegerdine told Fox News Digital that her husband, Joe Tegerdine, recently made happen.
Joseph Tegerdine, at left — along with his mother Kerry Tegerdine and brother Langston Tegerdine — has been marking off bucket list items. (SWNS)
"Joe knew that Joseph has always wanted a Mustang and wanted to work to buy it," she said.
"But we know that he doesn’t have the time to earn enough to buy it himself — so Joe went out and bought it."
"Dad, I’m going to squeeze a few extra months of life just to be able to drive this."
The father wrote in a post on X, "For those wondering why I’d buy my 18yr old son a 330hp Mustang, well, he’s been given months to live and can’t work long enough to buy one himself. His comment on the way home: ‘Dad, I’m going to squeeze a few extra months of life just to be able to drive this.’ #cancersucks"
Kerry Tegerdine said her son’s reaction to the gift of the sports car was just amazing.
"Joseph said, ‘The Mustang is my dream car, and I feel freaking fantastic!’" she recalled to Fox News Digital.
Joseph Tegerdine, at left, with his father, center, and brother, right, on a recent trip to Tokyo, Japan. (SWNS)
She also told Fox News Digital that Ford Motors, specifically CEO Jim Farley, gifted Joseph Tegerdine a Mustang driving session at its performance racing school.
Ford North America communications director Mike Levine told Fox News Digital on Thursday that Farley reached out to Joe Tegerdine after seeing the tweet of his excited son with his Ford Mustang.
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In a tweeted response, Farley shared his condolences for what the Tegerdines were going through — then offered Joe and Joseph Tegerdine the chance to drive a Ford Mustang Dark Horse on the track.
That's something that's typically only offered to those who own the special-edition car.
The pair, in April, will visit the performance racing school in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse model, shown here, is a unique vehicle that comes with an exclusive offer to drive one on the company's performance racing track in North Carolina. (CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images)
As of 2023, the Mustang was named the bestselling car in the world for eight years straight, according to S&P Global Mobility.
Over a million Mustang vehicles were shipped to customers from 2013 through 2022, with the all-time tally of 10 million crossed in 2018.
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While the vehicle is exported to over 100 countries, the vast majority of sales are in the U.S.
The Tegerdine family recently traveled to Japan together.
They continue to plan more bucket list experiences together for the near future.
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In a follow-up post on X, dad Joe Tegerdine wrote, "My son also values his quality of life. He’d rather live the heck out of a few months, than be confined to a bed or wheelchair suffering for years."
Gary Gastelu contributed to this report.
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