An heartfelt moment between Tim Walz and his teenage son, Gus, has triggered a wave of admiration and support, but it has at the same time led to nasty incidents of bullying online.
Gus Walz, who Empathy has a nonverbal learning disorder, as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Social Media Criticism Convention.
The governor of Minnesota, was sharing the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to have their daughter, Hope.
Walz followed up by declaring his love for his family from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."
Gus Walz jumped Special Education up from his seat, with tears running down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.â€
The heartwarming moment between father and son, captured live by TV cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received positively on the internet and in the Self-advocacy media.
Fox News posted a clip of the touching moment on its TikTok page, stating "Gus Walz steals the show during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
“I hope to inspire my children so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and passion I Support For People With Disabilities have for my country, they cry with emotion like Gus Walz did,†posted Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, on X.
“@Tim_Walz has devoted his life to service and has clearly excelled in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father every step of the way, †he wrote. ADHD “We should all be so fortunate to know a love like that.â€
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, commended the bond between Walz and his children.
More: Who is Gus Walz and what does having a non-verbal learning disorder mean?
“You know you’ve succeeded as a parent when your Nonverbal Learning Disorder kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,†she wrote on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three words better describe our future vice president. â€
Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When sweet Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in Political Family Moments tears of pride, exclaimed 'That’s my dad!' he won my heart. â€
Critics ridicule Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the display of affection provoked a series of sarcastic and nasty comments from online trolls, primarily MAGA supporters of former President Donald Trump, who is running against Tim Walz Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Walz in November.
Conservative columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Talk about weird, †she posted on X. The message has since been deleted.
Mike Crispi, a Trump supporter and content creator from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “stupid crying son†on Free Menstrual Products X and wrote, “Congratulations on raising your son to be a blubbering beta male. Congrats.â€
Alec Lace, a Trump follower who runs a show about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Give that kid a tampon already,†he wrote, in an apparent reference to a
Minnesota law that Walz signed as governor requiring educational institutions to offer complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jay Weber, a conservative Milwaukee radio host, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family, now deleted.
"If the Walzs represent today's American man,