A Minnesota dad's viral social media post about Gus Walz's emotional moment
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
All eyes were on Gov. Tim Walz Wednesday as he formally accepted his party’s nomination for vice president to close out day three of the Democratic National Convention. But it was his son, Gus, who went viral for emotionally cheering on his dad during the speech.
Rick Ellis is a journalist and founder of All Your Screens, but Wednesday night he was relating to Walz as a father who has a son with anxiety and ADHD. Ellis tweeted about the moment with Gus Walz.
”I don’t cry easily, but as the dad of a teenage son with autism, ADHD & anxiety issues, watching Tim Walz's 17-year-old son (who has a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD & anxiety disorder) standing up, crying & pointing to the stage telling everyone ‘that’s my dad’ just gutted me,” he wrote.
The post has racked up 4 million views on X, formerly Twitter.
He shared more about why that moment resonated with him in a conversation with All Things Considered guest host Emily Bright.
To hear the conversation about the viral moment, click play on the audio player above.
Support Local News
When breaking news happens, MPR News provides the context you need. Help us meet the significant demands of these newsgathering efforts.