On the third night of the Democratic National Convention, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was onstage to accept his party’s nomination for vice president. But the spotlight quickly shifted to the audience, where his 17-year-old son, Gus, stood up, tears in his eyes, and proudly pointed to the stage, exclaiming, “That’s my dad!”
This emotional moment touched viewers as Walz addressed the crowd as Vice President Kamala Harris’s official running mate. Both of Walz’s children, Gus and Hope, were visibly moved as their father spoke about the challenges he and his wife, Gwen, faced in having children. Walz shared how fertility treatments made it possible for them to conceive their children.
He also mentioned the struggles couples face with in vitro fertilization (IVF), especially after a ruling in Alabama that classified frozen embryos as people, causing turmoil for IVF treatments in the state. Walz clarified that his children were conceived using intrauterine insemination (IUI), another type of fertility treatment.
Naomi R. Cahn, a researcher at the University of Virginia, explained that while the Alabama ruling affected IVF, it would not ban IUI because IUI is a process that takes place inside the body, unlike IVF, where embryos are created outside the body.
During his speech, Walz described their fertility journey as “agonizing” and emphasized that protecting treatments like IUI and IVF is a key issue in the upcoming election. He turned to his family and said, “Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire world, and I love you,” just before Gus stood up in a moment that quickly went viral.
Hope, capturing the moment with a disposable camera, formed a heart with her hands. Gus’s reaction spread across social media, with many using the hashtag #thatsmydad to celebrate the touching moment.
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) praised the Walz family, saying, “You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz.” Kate Bedingfield, former Biden White House communications director, echoed the sentiment, calling Gus’s reaction the highlight of the evening.
Earlier this month, Walz and his wife shared in a statement that Gus, a high school senior, has a nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD, and anxiety. They expressed how it took time to ensure Gus had the support he needed to succeed. They now see his conditions as his “secret power,” describing him as “brilliant” and “an excellent son and brother.”
Throughout his public life, Walz has proudly showcased his children’s achievements. He recently celebrated Hope’s graduation from Montana State University and shared a video of them visiting the state fair. Last fall, he posted a photo of himself with Gus after he passed his driver’s test, calling it a “proud dad moment.”
