Democratic National Convention | mybabe22 | Fox News

An emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has sparked a wave of admiration and approval, but it has at the same time provoked ugly incidents of bullying online.

Gus Walz, who Gwen Walz suffers from a nonverbal learning disability, along with anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), watched excitedly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and sobbed openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic candidate for vice president, gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Minnesota Governor Convention.

The governor of Minnesota, was recounting the challenging fertility journey he and his wife, Gwen, underwent to have their daughter, Hope.

Walz followed up by declaring his love for his family from the stage, stating, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."

Gus Walz Kamala Harris rose from his seat, with tears streaming down his cheeks, pointed his finger and exclaimed, “I love you, Dad.”

The touching exchange between father and son, captured live by television cameras, quickly spread online and was mostly received positively on the web and across media outlets. Nonverbal Learning Disorder

Fox News shared a video of the viral moment on its TikTok account, stating "Gus Walz steals the show during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were mostly positive.

“I hope to inspire my children so much that when they see me speak about the dreams and passion I hold Viral Moment for my country, they cry with emotion like Gus Walz did,” posted Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary on X.

“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly excelled in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father throughout his life, ” he stated. “We should all be so Support For People With Disabilities lucky to know a love like that.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who spoke before Walz on Wednesday night, commended the bond between Walz and his children.

More: Who is Gus Walz and what is a non-verbal learning disorder?

“You know you’ve succeeded as a parent when your kids are as proud of you Anxiety as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,” she posted on X. “'That's my dad.' No three words better describe our next Vice President. ”

Actress Mia Farrow added: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, adorable son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face covered in tears of pride, shouted 'That’s Trolls On Social Media my dad!' he won my heart. ”

Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection triggered a series of snarky and cruel comments from internet trolls, primarily MAGA supporters of former president Donald Trump, who is running against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris Tim Walz and Walz in November.

Right-wing columnist and provocative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, ” she wrote on X. The post has since been deleted.

Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and podcaster from New Jersey, criticized Walz’s “stupid crying son” on X and added, “Congratulations Public Display Of Affection on raising your kid to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.”

Alec Lace, a Trump follower who runs a podcast about fatherhood, took his own swipe at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,” he said, in an apparent reference to a Minnesota law that Online Bullying Walz passed as governor requiring schools to provide complimentary menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jay Weber, a conservative radio host in Milwaukee, made a post on X criticizing the Walz family, now removed.

"If the Walz(sic) represent today's American man,