Tim Walz and his wife Gwen are proud parents to two incredible children, daughter Hope and son Gus.
The Minnesota Governor – who has been selected as Kamala Harris' 2024 vice presidential candidate – tends to keep his children out of the spotlight but he's now shining a light on his "brilliant" son.
In a new interview, the 60-year-old and his wife opened up about Gus' conditions after he was diagnosed with a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD, and an anxiety disorder.
"When our youngest Gus was growing up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates," the couple told People. "Gus preferred video games and spending more time by himself."
They continued: "When he was becoming a teenager, we learned that Gus has a non-verbal 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."
© Getty ImagesTim and Gwen don't look at Gus' conditions as a "setback" but rather as his "secret power".
They added: "It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback — it's his secret power."
© Getty ImagesReflecting on Gus' learning disorder, the couple said that Gus "is brilliant, hyper-aware of details that many of us pass by, and above all else, he's an excellent son and brother to his sibling".
Tim and Gwen have been open about their struggle to conceive and in March 2024, they revealed that they spent seven years trying to get pregnant by IVF.
© InstagramThey became first-time parents in January 2001 when Hope was born, followed by her brother Gus in October 2006.
Last 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."
© Getty ImagesTim and his family have been catapulted further into the limelight after he was picked to be Kamala's running mate in the 2024 presidential campaign.
Other names such as Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro had been floated around as strong options.
© Getty ImagesHowever, Tim became increasingly popular in the last two weeks both 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."
