Tim Walz’s life has massively changed over the past few months as he has campaigned vigorously to become the next vice president of the United States, but the Minnesota governor made it clear he has never forgotten his roots.
Tim got nostalgic as he shared with followers a rare insight into what his life looked like far before he got into politics, back when he was just a humble high school teacher, hoping to coach his football team to the championships.
A video on YouTube featured a number of clips and photos of Tim back when he taught as a geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School. One shot of the former teacher saw him look completely different, with a head full of dark hair and a pair of glasses as he wore a casual blue shirt and carried around boxes.
Many of his former students decided to speak up about what it was like to have him as a teacher, with one confessing: “Tim Walz was definitely everyone’s favorite teacher. He would shake hands and say hello to everyone in the hallways and he had this way of making you feel like you were seen.”
“Even if you weren’t in his class and he didn’t have you as a student, he would know your name,” they continued in a glowing appraisal.
Not only did the former students reflect on Tim, but his wife Gwen — who also taught at Mankato High.
“Mrs Walz was by far one of my favorite teachers but definitely not because she was easy,” one former student said.
Another quoted Gwen joking: “She said ‘I’m not like my husband, I’m not like the Easter Bunny just giving out A’s.'”
Members of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance also spoke about the former teacher, who famously stood up to be the staff sponsor when the group was founded.
“The Walz’s were really instrumental in making our school feel safe,” said one founding member of the group.
Gwen and Tim famously met while teaching out in Alliance, Nebraska, where they shared a classroom.
Tim described it as “an old band room and the school was out of space so they divided it with a temporary divider, and we taught on both sides of the room.”
After tying the knot, they would move to Mankato High, where many of the students in the video went to school.