Inside Tim Walz's special relationship with 2 kids Gus and Hope

As well as being a former teacher and football coach, the present Governor of Minnesota and the potential future Vice President of the United States, Tim Walz is a devoted dad to his son Gus and daughter Hope. 

Tim's family life has received widespread attention, from his wife's story of them using artificial insemination to have children to his son's diagnosis with a learning disorder.

© Andrew Harnik

But the most apparent theme in all these stories is how much the governor clearly loves his wife and kids, who have followed him every step of the way through his political career.

© Chip Somodevilla

His family certainly had an emotional night, as his son Gus watched him with tears in his eyes at the Democratic National Conference. He pointed proudly at his father, and declared: "That's my dad."

Here's everything you need to know about Tim's two kids. 

Hope, 23

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Tim and Gwen welcomed their eldest child Hope in 2001, who was born via fertility treatment. The father-daughter duo share a close bond, with the 23-year-old regularly featuring on his social media.

Back in 2019, Hope and Tim filmed a video to raise awareness for the state's new hands-free laws while driving, aiming to prove just how distracting phones can be. 

The video didn't go quite as planned - but certainly showed off their tight bond as Tim made a dig about making sure "teen drivers are not texting," which Hope interrupted to suggest that "it's actually mostly bald men," leading to him shouting "cut!"

Similarly, the duo filmed a video at the Minnesota State Fair in which Hope tricked her father into going on the Slingshot ride, which he seemed to enjoy despite the odds. In the clip, it was revealed that the 23-year-old is a vegetarian as Tim suggested they grab a corndog.

"I'm vegetarian," she said, as Tim responded: "Turkey, then." As Hope started to protest that "turkey's meat," her father teased: "Not in Minnesota, turkey's special."

The duo have also bonded over fly-fishing, with Tim sharing photos of his daughter out in fishing gear with him.

Gus

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The couple would go on to welcome their son Gus in 2006, who officially got his driver's licence in 2023. Congratulations! 

Gwen and Tim revealed that their son struggled growing up, as: "it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates. Gus preferred video games and spending more time by himself."

They revealed to People that: "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."

Their son was a big reason behind the family getting a dog, Scout — "a 3-month-old black Lab mix, from local shelter @midwestanimalrescue". It wasn't long after they picked up the pup that he got into a bit of trouble, locking himself in the Walz's bedroom last year.

Fortunately, it wasn't long before Scout was "free at last!" After Tim kept his followers updated with bated breath.