With the election round the corner, the nation is currently on the edge of its seat in anticipation of who has won the race to the White House.
Between the multiple assassination attempts on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris' late entrance as presidential candidate, it's been an eventful campaign so far. But many have been delighted to get to know the Democrat's vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
© GettyWalz, 60, became increasingly popular for his varied resumé, wholesome and unifying personality, progressive values, and more recently, for coining a new dig at far-right Republicans: calling them "weird."
But as he's entered the campaign trail, he's been fully supported not only by his two kids, but by his wife, Gwen Walz. The couple have been married for over 30 years, and through that time Gwen has been a stalwart, by his side throughout.
Join HELLO! was we look into Tim's family life with his wife Gwen Walz.
The Minnesota governor met his wife when they were teachers
© Star Tribune via Getty ImagesWalz, who is originally from West Point, Nebraska, graduated from Chadron State College, and later became a teacher and coach at a school in Alliance, Nebraska, where he met his wife, fellow teacher Gwen Walz (née Whipple).
"We had an old band room and the school was out of space so they divided it with a temporary divider, and we taught on both sides of the room," he revealed in a Q&A.
After their first date at the movies, Walz revealed her knew she was the one right away, telling Gwen: "You should know I’m going to marry you."
© Screenshot from YouTube videoThey tied the knot in 1994, and two years later moved to Gwen's home state of Minnesota, specifically Mankato, where Walz again became a teacher and coach at Mankato West High School. During his time at the school, he led the football team to its first state championship, and was a faculty advisor for the school's first gay-straight alliance in 1999.
Never failing to gush about his wife, Walz has said: "It's true: the best thing that happened to me was meeting and marrying Gwen. Without a doubt, I outkicked my coverage (to use a football term)!"
© InstagramThe couple lived in Mankato until 2018, when Walz became governor and subsequently moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota's capital. Gwen, who in addition to her role as an educator is also an advocate for prison reform and bringing educational programs to incarcerated people, has always been supportive of her husband's career, and he knows it.
When Walz won the gubernatorial race in 2018 — he was reelected in 2022 — he wrote on Facebook: "To my wife Gwen — Minnesota's next First Lady — how can I ever thank you enough?" adding: "I'm grateful to you for keeping it all together for us and walking with me on this journey. I love you."
© GettyGwen's White House plans
© Anna MoneymakerWhen her husband became the governor of Minnesota, Gwen was ready with a series of policy and reform plans to put forward, focusing primarily on education and corrections.
Evidently passionate about these topics, her biography explains that "corrections must be an inclusive component of our education system, and by expanding opportunity, our state can dramatically reduce recidivism rates and most importantly, transform lives."
She has worked tirelessly to allow incarcerated people to study higher education, supporting the Bard Prison initiative in doing just that.
© Star Tribune via Getty ImagesDespite Walz being the governor, Gwen says they are a solid team and will work together to bring their policy ideas to light.
"Tim is the governor and makes the governor decisions," she previously told The Star Tribune. "We have a lot to do and everyone has a role and part in it. It is my responsibility to find my way forward in this new role, with respect and awareness."
Their fertility journey
© Chicago TribuneThe couple have been open about their fertility struggles in the hopes of bringing comfort to those going through the same thing. Walz revealed that Gwen underwent seven years of fertility treatments in order to get pregnant. "It's not by chance that we named our daughter Hope," he told The Star Tribune.
Gwen delved deeper into her fertility struggles to Women's Health in October, revealing: "Tim and I always knew we wanted to have a family."
© Star Tribune via Getty Images"There was never a time when we weren't trying to have a family. You think it's going to be a very natural process," she said.
"Getting pregnant without help seems to happen for everybody else, so we thought it would happen for us too. We didn't know of anyone in our family who'd had issues (we think maybe my grandmother did, but we're not positive). So, when it didn't happen, we became increasingly concerned."
They are proud parents of two kids
© GettySeven years after they got married, and after a challenging journey with IVF, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Hope, in 2001, followed by son Gus in 2006. Though he tends to keep his kids out of the spotlight, they have publicly supported him throughout his political career.
© InstagramLast month, in light of the Republican Party's mounting challenges against reproductive rights, including his opponent J.D. Vance's vote against protecting IVF, Walz wrote on X: "Even if you've never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has. When Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety and frustration blotted out the sun. J.D. Vance opposing the miracle of IVF is a direct attack on my family and so many others."
Family tragedy
In June 2016, Walz's younger brother Craig Walz, who was also a teacher, died aged 43 while camping with his then-eight-year-old son Jacob, who was critically injured, after a tree fell where they were situated during a severe storm.
He is survived by his wife Julie Slominski, who he met on their first day of teacher orientation in Adams, Nebraska, and their children, Jacob and Avery.
