Tim Walz and His Wife, Gwen, Open Up About Son's Non-Verbal Learning Disorder: 'His Secret Power' (Exclusive)

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen, tell PEOPLE about their “brilliant” 17-year-old son Gus, who has a nonverbal learning disorder, ADHD and anxiety disorder — all conditions they call his “secret power.”

In a statement shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Tim — who was just tapped to be Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate — and Gwen say they saw glimpses of Gus’ unique qualities at an early age.

Tim and Gus Walz.

Courtesy of Governor Walz’s family

“As our youngest Gus grew up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his peers,” the couple told PEOPLE. “Gus preferred video games and spending more time alone.”

The statement continued: “As he was becoming a teenager, we learned that Gus had a non-verbal learning disorder in addition to anxiety disorder and ADHD, conditions shared by millions of Americans.”

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Gus Walz with his father, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Courtesy of Governor Walz’s family

According to the Cleveland Clinic, nonverbal learning disorders like Gus’s affect how children absorb and use information, but they can be managed with interventions that can help those affected learn in different ways. “Non-verbal” in this case is not the same as “not speaking”.

“Like many American families, it took time for us to figure out how to do everything we could to make sure Gus was set up for success as he grew up,” the couple says.

“It took time, but what became clear to us right away is that Gus’s condition is not an obstacle – it’s his secret power,” the Walzes add.

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Tim, Gwen, Gus and Hope Walz take a selfie in front of the waterfall.

Courtesy of Governor Walz’s family

Tim and Gwen have already talked about the obstacles they faced when they first wanted to start a family. During the interview in March 2024, s Star tribuneThe team found that Gwen had been undergoing fertility treatments for seven years at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., in hopes of becoming pregnant.

In January 2001, the couple became parents for the first time, welcoming their daughter Hope. In October 2006, they had a son, Gus.

On social media, Walz can often be seen applauding the successes of his children. In October 2023, he marked his “proud dad moment” with a photo of Gus taking his driver’s license test.

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz holds a puppy to Gus’s face.

Courtesy of Governor Walz’s family

Speaking to PEOPLE about their son’s learning disorder, Tim and Gwen say Gus is “brilliant, hyper-aware of details that many of us overlook, and above all, a great son and brother to his sibling.”

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With the Walzes thrust into the limelight almost overnight, Gus and his sister have already found themselves in front of more cameras and reporters than ever before. Hours after their father was chosen as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, they were filmed arriving in Philadelphia for his first campaign rally.

“We love our Gus,” say Tim and Gwen, “we’re proud of the man he’s growing into and we’re very excited to have him on this journey with us.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education