What to know about Gov. Tim Walz's wife and kids ahead of DNC acceptance speech
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz will headline the penultimate night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday.
Vice President Kamala Harris selected the Minnesota governor as her running mate earlier this month, one of her first decisions as the presidential nominee.
Born in Nebraska, Waltz is also a husband and father to two children, who've been at the convention alongside as well — and were seen doing bunny ears behind him while on national TV. "My kids keep me humble," Walz later wrote on X.
Who is Tim Walz's wife, Gwen Walz?
Gwen Walz was born in Glencoe, Minn., to parents who were public school educators and small business owners, according to her official biography from the governor's office. She grew up in western Minnesota with three sisters, before moving to western Nebraska to teach high school English.
There, she met Walz, who was a social studies teacher at the same high school. The couple married in 1994, and co-founded an organization that funded summer trips to China for their students until 2003. One of these trips also served as their honeymoon, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
In 1996, the Walz couple moved to Mankato, Minnesota, according to the governor's website. Gwen continued teaching in her home state and later served as an administrator and coordinator in the Mankato Area Public Schools for more than 20 years.
As first lady of Minnesota, she has focused on reinforcing and expanding education access, particularly in prisons.
"She has worked across the country to bring educational opportunities to incarcerated women and men, or as Gwen notes: students," her biography reads.
Who are Tim Walz's children?
Tim and Gwen Walz have two children — Hope and Gus. His son is 17 and starting his senior year at St. Paul Central High School this fall, according to the Star Tribune. Hope, 23, recently graduated from Montana State University and works as a social worker in Montana.
Earlier this month, the Walz family said Gus has a "non-verbal learning disorder," ADHD and an anxiety disorder in a statement released to People magazine. "What became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback — it’s his secret power," the statement to People said.
In his first speech as Kamala Harris' official VP pick, Walz shared with Americans that he and his wife struggled to get pregnant and start a family. They turned to infertility treatments, which some conservative groups have criticized as unnatural or not aligned with Christian values.
The Walz family's fertility treatments led to Hope's birth. "It wasn't by chance that, when we welcomed our daughter into the world, we named her Hope," Tim Walz said.
Who are Tim Walz's dog and cat?
In 2019, the family introduced a new member, Scout, a black Lab mix adopted from a local shelter. "I fulfilled my commitment to get my son a dog if I was elected Governor," Walz wrote on Instagram.
The family also has a rescue cat, Honey.
When does Tim Walz speak during the DNC?
The exact time of Walz's speech is not known. He is expected to close the evening programming on Wednesday with the acceptance of the Democratic vice-presidential nomination.
RELATED: Tim Walz's kids have a little on-camera fun during interview. Bunny ears are involved.