The Democratic National Convention witnessed a heartwarming moment Wednesday evening when Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s children stole the spotlight.

As Walz accepted his nomination as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, the camera panned to his children, Gus and Hope. Gus, visibly moved, stands up with tears in his eyes, saying, “That’s my dad!” while Hope formed heart shapes with her hands, her face beaming with pride.

In a convention filled with carefully choreographed moments, the kids’ response was an unscripted display of emotion that resonated most deeply with viewers across the nation.

“Hope, Gus and Gwen-you are my entire world and I love you,” Walz said in his speech. “I’m letting you in on how we started our family because that’s a big part of what this election is about: freedom. When Republicans use that word, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office.”

The unscripted moment quickly went viral on social media, with users describing it as “healing,” “moving,” and “my favorite moment of the night.” One popular tweet by MSNBC columnist Michael A. Cohen read, “Everything I need to know about Tim Walz is etched on the faces of his proud kids.”

“It’s striking to see Tim Walz’s wife Gwen and kids Gus and Hope overcome with emotion – bawling their eyes out as their father takes the stage,” said filmmaker Arlen Parsa via X. These are ordinary people. Down to earth.”

Gus and Hope Walz, the children of Walz and his wife Gwen, have largely remained out of the political spotlight until now. Hope, born in 2001 after her parents’ long struggle with infertility, is now 23 years old. Her name, as her father explained, embodies the couple’s perseverance and optimism during their challenging journey to parenthood. Gus, the younger of the two, is currently a high school student in St. Paul, Minnesota’s capital.

Despite their father’s high-profile position, the Walz children have maintained a relatively normal upbringing. They’ve occasionally appeared in family photos on the Governor’s social media accounts, sharing moments like Hope’s high school graduation in 2019 and family outings to the Minnesota State Fair.

In another lighthearted moment at the DNC on Monday night, the siblings also drew attention when they playfully held up “bunny ears” behind their father during a convention interview, endearing themselves more to audiences at home who resonate with the family’s down-to-earth nature amidst the often serious world of politics.

This spontaneous displays of fun and emotion have brought renewed attention to the Walz family’s personal connection to reproductive rights and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Gov. Walz and his wife Gwen have been open about their seven-year struggle with infertility before conceiving Hope through fertility treatments.

In his acceptance speech, Gov. Walz again touched on these personal experiences: “When Gwen and I decided to have children, we spent years going through infertility treatments. I remember praying every night for a call with good news. The pit in my stomach when the phone rang, and the agony when we heard that the treatments hadn’t worked.”

He continued, emphasizing the broader implications of his family’s journey: “So it wasn’t by chance that when we welcomed my daughter into the world, we named her Hope. Hope for the future. Hope for this nation. Hope that every family can have the same opportunity we did.”