Elon Musk appears to have promised a Tesla Cybertruck to 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a Houston teen bravely battling brain cancer. This isn’t just a story about a futuristic vehicle, it’s about hope, resilience, and a chance encounter that turned into something extraordinary.
DJ’s story grabbed national attention when U.S. President Donald Trump gave him a shoutout during a congressional address on Tuesday, naming him an honorary Secret Service member. The recognition was well-deserved, DJ’s fight against cancer has inspired countless people. But it was his brief chat with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that revealed an unexpected twist: a personal plea to the Tesla CEO himself.
“I asked him, ‘Can you do me a big favor? When you get back to Houston, can you send us a Cybertruck down there?’” DJ recalled with a grin. To everyone’s surprise, Musk didn’t just brush it off, he responded with enthusiasm. Collins later shared the exchange on X, and Musk’s reply, a simple heart emoji, spoke volumes. It’s as close to a “yes” as you can get from the famously enigmatic billionaire.
Today I had the chance to meet DJ Daniel, the 13-year-old cancer survivor who President Trump made an honorary member of the Secret Service last night. pic.twitter.com/aQvfJAdiKh
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 6, 2025
Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a 13-year-old from Texas, has defied the odds in his battle against a rare, incurable brain and spine cancer. Diagnosed in 2018 with a prognosis of just five months to live, he’s undergone 13 surgeries and is still fighting six years later.
During a recent speech, President Trump spotlighted DJ’s inspiring story, noting his love for law enforcement and his dream of becoming a police officer. That night, DJ received an honorary U.S. Secret Service badge from Director Sean Curran, earning loud applause from the crowd.
But not everyone cheered. MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace took a jab, saying she hopes DJ never has to defend the Capitol from Trump supporters—or face the fate of officers who’ve died by suicide after such events.
Meanwhile, some anti-Trump and anti-Musk voices on X mocked the honor, calling DJ a “DEI hire” and suggesting Elon Musk’s DOGE team should investigate. Despite the criticism, DJ’s resilience remains the real story.