Utah Dad Takes Son, 18, With Cancer On ‘Amazing’ Racing Experience- Their Unforgettable Mustang Moment

An Inspiring Sense of Adventure

• In March, Joe Tegerdine went viral for buying his 18-year-old son Joseph a Ford Mustang as he fights stage 4 osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
• The rad dad’s post got so much attention, with 13.8 million views on X alone, that just one month later, Ford Racing invited the duo out to experience a dream-come-true day on the racetrack, with Joe Jr. behind the wheel.
• Living well with cancer means continuing to do what you love, or setting your sites on achieving your ultimate goals.
• If you’re looking for a way to implement more of the things you love in your day-to-day routine, start by writing down some of the activities that make you happy, no matter how big or how small they may be. Keeping that spark can lead to more fulfillment and many times a better prognosis because of it.

In March, Joe Tegerdine from Springville, Utah went viral for buying his 18-year-old son Joseph a Ford Mustang as he fights stage 4 osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. The rad dad's post got so much attention that just one month later, Ford Racing invited the duo out to experience a dream-come-true day on the racetrack, with Joe Jr. behind the wheel. Beaming about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the high speed-enthusiast took to Instagram to share about his incredible day: "@fordperformance invited me and @joetegerdine to go race the mustang dark horse edition," Joseph wrote alongside photos posing in race gear with his dad. "Y’all this was so freaking fun I didn’t stop smiling like a maniac the whole day." RELATED : TV Race Car Driver Lizzy Musi, 32, Takes On Kentucky Racetrack Amid Stage Four Breast Cancer Treatment: Finding Joy Through Cancer "These cars are such amazing creations and I was so glad I could not only drive them but also meet the lead engineer! This was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever had the privilege to do and I’m so glad I got to have this amazing experience. (Oh also the mph gauge is messed up in the last video. We went 130)," he added with a smiley face emoji. Joseph also included clips of him on the track in the car, where he can be seen smiling underneath his black helmet.

"Don’t be trying any of those maneuvers in our neighborhood!" a friend joked in the comments. "I would never… get caught," Joseph cracked back.

An Incredible Act of Kindness

In March, Joe Sr.'s initial post was viewed by 13.8 million people on X (formerly Twitter), with most applauding his cool dad factor and kindness. He told TODAY.com that he was originally searching for an old "beater" but thought he deserved to experience owning a Mustang. RELATED : Father-Son Tik Tok Stars Gain Immense Support After Dad Seeks Funding To Cover His Cancer Battle "He's a pretty amazing kid," Joe said. In the post, he wrote: "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." "You are a good man," one supporter wrote. "I wish for you and your family peace, love, and togetherness. And, that your son enjoys driving 130mph with his hair on fire!" "I’m sorry you have to endure these things," a second person commented." Hope he enjoys the f--- outta this. Hope you got him a stick :)." A third fan expressed similar positive sentiment: "Mustang owner here, I think it’s awesome that you got him his dream car! Keep fighting Joseph!" Joe Sr. gave an update about his son on May 19 and said the upcoming weeks would be rough, as his tumors have been growing. It is unclear what his current status is. We wish the Tegerdine family well as they navigate through this trying time. "Thank you for all the love from this community and to those who are likewise suffering," he wrote. "We love you, we know you are there, we support you and are praying for you and yours."

Living With Cancer

Living well with cancer means continuing to do what you love, or setting your sites on achieving your ultimate goals. For some, it might mean performing at a local theatre or in a Broadway play, learning guitar or piano, taking a dream trip overseas or enjoying a road trip solo or with loved ones to some national parks. Whatever it means, try to make it happen. Dr. Dana Chase , a gynecologic oncologist at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says we know from “good studies” that “better quality of life is associated with better outcomes.” She says if your emotional well-being is connected to the activities you do, then you should be doing more of them, like Joseph. What still brings you joy? Emotional health is so important when living with cancer "So working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival,” Dr. Chase said. "If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities." If you’re looking for a way to implement more of the things you love in your day-to-day routine, Dr. Chase recommends starting by writing down some of the activities that make you happy.

Learning About Sarcoma

The word sarcoma refers to a large array of bone and soft tissue cancers, and those are then further broken down into more specific forms of the disease, including: Ewing's sarcoma A cancer that typically occurs in and around the bones, often in the arms or legs, or the bones of the pelvis. It most commonly occurs in children and young adults. Kaposi sarcoma A very rare type of cancer that causes lesions on the skin, in lymph nodes, organs, and the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat. It typically affects people with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV. Epithelioid sarcoma A soft tissue cancer that grows slowly. It is likely to begin under the skin of areas like the finger, hand, forearm, lower part of the leg, or foot. Resilient 8-Year-Old Who Overcame Ewing Sarcoma Sells More Than 32,000 Boxes of Girl Scout Cookies To Break Record Synovial sarcoma Also known as a malignant (cancerous) synovioma, this is a cancer that can form soft tissues such as muscle or ligaments, commonly close to joints or in areas like the arm, leg, or foot. Osteogenic sarcoma Also known as osteosarcoma, this cancer forms in the bone and is most common in young children. Spindle cell sarcoma A rare form of the disease that accounts for less than 2% of all primary bone cancer cases. It’s most common in adults over 40 and often forms in the bones of the arms, legs, and pelvis.

Sarcoma Symptoms

The main symptom of sarcoma is a slow-growing, painless mass, which makes it hard for many to detect until the later stages of the disease. "Unfortunately, most sarcomas do not cause many of the symptoms that may be associated with other cancers," Dr. Dale Shepard , director of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute Phase I and Sarcoma Programs, previously told SurvivorNet. RELATED : Gold-Medal Winning Paralympian Shares Touching Letter From Fan, 10, Who Also Shares Osteosarcoma Diagnosis Shepard explained that this often leads to large tumors at the time of diagnosis. "Soft tissue sarcomas are typically painless," Dr. Shepard explained. "Bone sarcomas may be mistaken for orthopedic injuries. A mass the size of a golf ball or larger and growing should be evaluated as a potential sarcoma. Patients who do have symptoms mustn't be dismissive of them."