Terminally Ill Teen Ford Mustang Driver Says He’ll Stay Alive Longer To Drive His Car
Joseph Tegerdine, a Ford Mustang fan of just 18 years old, has been living with an aggressive bone cancer diagnosis since 2019. It’s a tragedy that has rocked his family to its core. However, Joseph’s father, Joe Tegerdine, bought the terminally ill teen an S550 Ford Mustang EcoBoost to enjoy. Better yet, Joseph said he’ll stay alive longer to drive his treasured Mustang.
Joseph Tegerdine, 18, says he’ll ‘squeeze a few extra months of life’ to drive his Ford Mustang
Many parents would quickly dismiss the decision to buy an 18-year-old teen a 330-horsepower Ford Mustang EcoBoost. Well, Joe Tegerdine had a pretty good reason for getting his son, Joseph, the High Performance Package four-pot Mustang.
“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,” Tegerdine’s father, Joe, explained in a tweet (X). It’s difficult to disagree with Tegerdine’s father and his impassioned reasoning.
Of course, there are many unrulier Mustangs Tegerdine Sr. could have purchased for his son. For instance, a post-facelift 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium with the High Performance Package tacked around $5,000 onto the model’s $32,880 base price. However, a used 2014 Ford Mustang GT with a 420-horsepower 5.0L Coyote V8 and a live rear axle could cost nearly half that much. All in all, the newer EcoBoost is a much safer ride for Joseph Tegerdine to hit the road with a smile.
Better yet, after Joseph’s father posted on X about his terminally ill son and his beloved car, Ford CEO Jim Farley responded. However, his post was more than well-wishes. Farley invited Joseph and his father to the Ford Performance Racing School. The invitation? Jim Farley implored Joe Tegerdine to direct message (DM) him to “experience a Ford Mustang Dark Horse on the track.” Have fun, Joseph.
