Democratic National Convention | mybabe22 | Children With Disabilities

An emotional exchange between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has sparked a wave of admiration and support, but it has also led to ugly bullying attacks online.

Gus Walz, who has a nonverbal Fox News learning disorder, along with anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), looked on eagerly from the front seat of Chicago’s United Center and cried openly on Wednesday night as his father, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, delivered his speech of acceptance at the Democratic National Convention.

The Minnesota governor was sharing Special Education the difficult fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, went through to have their daughter, Hope.

Walz followed up by expressing his love for his loved ones from the stage, saying, "Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you mean everything to me. And I love you."

Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, Gwen Walz with tears streaming down his cheeks, pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad.”

The touching exchange between father and son, captured on live TV by television cameras, quickly went viral and has largely been received positively on the web and in the media.

Fox News Minnesota Governor shared a clip of the viral moment on its TikTok account, writing "Gus Walz steals the spotlight during dad's acceptance speech." The comments were overwhelmingly positive.

“I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me give a speech about the dreams and passion I have for Trolls On Social Media my country, they are moved to tears like Gus Walz did,” posted Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, on X.

“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly excelled in being an outstanding, supportive, and caring father throughout his life, ” he stated. “We should all Tim Walz be so fortunate 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 Cyberbullying as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz,” she wrote on X. “'That’s my dad.' No three other words better capture our next Vice President. ”

Actress Mia Farrow also commented: “Gosh! When young Gus Walz, cherished son of Gwen and Tim Walz, his face streaming with tears of pride, shouted Mike Crispi 'That’s my dad!' he stole my heart. ”

Critics dismiss Gus Walz as a 'puffy beta male'
But the show of affection triggered a wave of sarcastic and nasty comments from internet trolls, many of them supporters of MAGA, of former president Donald Trump, who faces Democratic presidential nominee Vice Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris and Walz in November.

Conservative columnist and provocateur Ann Coulter ridiculed the teenager’s tears. “Now that's weird, ” she posted on X. The message has since been deleted.

Mike Crispi, a Trump backer and content creator from New Jersey, mocked Walz’s “crybaby son” on X and added, “You Social Media Criticism raised your son to be a puffy beta male. Congrats.”

Alec Lace, a Trump follower who hosts a show about fatherhood, took his own shot at the teenager: “Get that kid a tampon already,” he wrote, in an apparent reference to a Minnesota state law that Walz Kamala Harris passed as governor requiring schools to offer free menstrual products to students.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported 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,