The third night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago was a star-studded affair.
From actress Mindy Kaling (who gave her well-wishes to Ben Affleck), to television icon Oprah Winfrey (who gave a shoutout to so-called childless cat ladies) to former President Bill Clinton, there was no shortage of big names and even bigger speeches.
But it was Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's son, Gus, who stole the show on Wednesday evening, especially when his father took the DNC stage.
Shortly after Gov. Walz accepted his party’s nomination for the vice presidency, the proud father of two shared the emotional story of how he was able to build a family with his wife, Gwen.
"If you’ve never experienced the hell that is infertility, I guarantee you, you know somebody who has," Walz said to the boisterous crowd inside the United Center. "I can remember praying each night for a phone call. The pit in your stomach when the phone would ring, and the absolute agony when we heard the treatments hadn’t worked.
"It took Gwen and I years, but we had access to fertility treatments. And when our daughter was born, we named her Hope," he continued.
"Hope, Gus and Gwen, you are my entire world, and I love you."
It was at this moment that the crowd erupted in applause, and Walz's son, Gus, stood up while openly crying and pointed to his father, yelling: "That's my dad!"
Gus's reaction went instantly viral, and the hashtag #thatsmydad started trending on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Well all us childless cat ladies just became Gus Walz's adoptive aunties so there you go," one user posted on X.
"No one in that family is telling Gus Walz to be quiet or calm down. Not one of them has flinched at his tears and screaming," another commented. "Do you know how rare this is?!!! These are not just good people, they are extraordinary parents and role models."
"I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me speak of the dreams and passion I have for my country they are moved to tears like Gus Walz was," another posted.
Earlier this month, in a statement to People, Gov. Walz and his wife opened up about their son, who has a nonverbal learning disorder, anxiety disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder.
"When our youngest Gus was growing up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates," the couple told the publication. "Gus preferred video games and spending more time by himself. When he was becoming a teenager, we learned that Gus has a nonverbal learning disorder in addition to an anxiety disorder and ADHD, conditions that millions of Americans also have.
"Like so many American families, it took us time to figure out how to make sure we did everything we could to make sure Gus would be set up for success as he was growing up," the couple continued.
"It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback—it’s his secret power."
