Teen Gets Dream Mustang Dark Horse Experience Following Cancer Diagnosis
It’s not every day that you get an invitation to take part in a dream track experience with the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Well, that’s exactly what Ford CEO Jim Farley invited a Utah teen to do following news and diagnosis of his aggressive cancer spreading. The Ford Mustang fan and brave cancer fighter will hit the track in April.
A Utah teen with a tragic cancer diagnosis will spend his time driving his own Ford Mustang, as well as a Mustang Dark Horse
It’s a heartbreaking story. Joseph Tegerdine, son of entrepreneur Joe Tegerdine, received an osteosarcoma bone cancer diagnosis at the age of 18. Unfortunately, after aggressive treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, young Tegerdine’s cancer spread to his lungs in 2022 and again in 2024.
His father, Joe, bought him a 330-horsepower post-facelift S550 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with the High Performance Package. It might be a long way from a Mustang Dark Horse or Shelby GT350, but it’s still a handful. While many parents would scoff at the thought of putting a young driver like Josephy behind the wheel of a powerful, rear-wheel drive (RWD) car, Joe had his reasons.
In a tweet, Joe explained the decision. “For those wondering why I’d buy my 18-year-old son a 330hp Mustang, well, he’s been given months to live and can’t work long enough to buy one himself.” The life-long Ford Mustang fan was understandably grateful. “Dad, I’m going to squeeze a few extra months of life just to be able to drive this,” Joseph told his father.
However, news of Joseph’s cancer diagnosis and Mustang fandom reached the attention of Ford CEO Jim Farley. Consequently, the Blue Oval invited the teen out to Charlotte, North Carolina to attend its performance racing school. On that site, Joseph Tegerdine will get the chance to flog the new, 500-horsepower Ford Mustang Dark Horse around the track.
