Viewers Say Tim Walz's Son Gus 'Ripped My Heart Out of My Chest' in Emotional DNC Moment
The Democratic National Convention took a turn for the emotional Wednesday night when Tim Walz's son Gus had a heartwarming reaction to seeing his father onstage.
In his speech accepting the party's nomination for vice president, Walz spoke about the fertility struggles he and his wife Gwen faced before the birth of their daughter, Hope, now 23. Walz paused to address Gwen, Hope, and 17-year-old Gus, who has a nonverbal learning disorder and an anxiety disorder.
“Hope, Gus and Gwen, you are my entire world, and I love you,” Walz said.
The cameras first captured Hope, looking proud and tearful, before panning over to her brother as he jumped out of his seat, crying and saying, "That's my dad! That's my dad!"
He then pointed at the stage and said "I love you, dad."
On social media, viewers were moved by the raw display.
"Tim Walz's son just ripped my heart RIGHT OUT OF MY CHEST GEEZUS," one X user captioned a video of the powerful moment.
"We protect Gus Walz AT ALL COSTS," wrote a second person on X.
"I'm ready to fight anyone who even THINKS about hurting Gus!" agreed a third person.
"What I love about this is nobody is trying to stop Gus nobody is fussing at him they're letting Gus be himself and as a teenager getting to be yourself be shown nothing but unconditional love and support makes the biggest difference. This family is just pure love and light," another comment read.
Members of the media were similarly affected by Gus at the DNC.
“Forget politics. If you aren’t moved seeing 17 yr old Gus Walz in tears watching his dad walk on stage as the vice-presidential nominee...then please just move on,” MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle wrote on X.
"That is the clip-and-save moment that everyone is going to be seeing," said Dana Bash on CNN. "If you didn't get moved by that moment, I don't even know. What a remarkable moment just in American life."
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