Gus Walz brought to tears as his father Tim accepts VP nomination: 'That's my dad'

During his widely praised speech, Walz's 17-year-old son moved DNC viewers with his heartfelt emotions.

22 Aug 2024

By M Muzamil Shami

      Gus Walz began to cry while his father, Tim Walz, was delivering a speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night. Photograph

      : Matt Rourke/AP

Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of Tim Walz, became the highlight of the evening with a heartfelt expression of family loyalty during his father's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

As Tim Walz spoke about the challenges of starting a family through fertility treatments, television cameras captured an emotional moment when Gus stood up, tears streaming down his face, and pointed towards the stage, mouthing the words, "That's my dad."

This powerful moment drew more attention than other parts of the well-received 17-minute speech by the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, captivating TV commentators and social media alike.

"Kate Bedingfield, former White House communications director, praised Tim Walz's performance, describing it as a 'perfectly executed home run, scoring a touchdown in every aspect.' Yet, she noted that Gus Walz somehow managed to shine even brighter.

Jen Psaki, a former White House press secretary, expressed her admiration on MSNBC, saying, 'I absolutely adore Gus Walz. I feel like I might start crying just thinking about him.'

On CNN, Dana Bash remarked, 'That moment is one for the history books—it's the kind of clip people will keep watching. If you weren't moved by it, I don't know what to say. It was a truly remarkable moment in American life.'

Even conservative Fox News hosts Martha MacCallum and Dana Perino discussed how powerful the scene was.

Gus Walz seemed to understand the significance and political weight of his father's words well before what has now become an iconic moment."

"It took Gwen and me years to conceive, but we were fortunate to have access to fertility treatments. When our daughter was born, we named her Hope," Walz shared with the audience. Gus, already emotional, looked at his 23-year-old sister sitting beside him and pointed to her.

He then stood, placed his hand over his heart, and silently mouthed, "that's my dad," as Walz continued, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire world, and I love you."

After the speech, Gus joined his mother and sister on stage, embracing his father and burying his face in his shoulder.

Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen, both former teachers, recently revealed that their son Gus has a non-verbal learning disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and an anxiety disorder.

In a recent statement to People magazine, the couple explained that they noticed Gus’s condition at a young age but never saw it as a hindrance."

"Many American families face similar challenges, and we too needed time to determine the best way to ensure Gus's future success as he grew up," they explained.

"Eventually, it became evident to us that Gus's condition wasn't an obstacle but rather his unique strength."