Ohio lawmaker's autistic son mocked during Texas vs Ohio State; Ramaswamy, Senator Moreno jump to defense

Ohio lawmaker Brian Lorenz's son, Henry, was targeted in online comments after a picture of the father-son duo with Vivek Ramaswamy was shared on X.

Ohio lawmaker Brian Lorenz's son, Henry, who is autistic, was targeted in online comments after a photo of the father-son duo with gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was shared on X.

Ohio lawmaker Brian Lorenz and his son Henry were in attendance for the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Texas Longhorns game(X/@lorenzforohio)

Brian was among the politicians in attendance for the Texas Longhorns vs Ohio State Buckeyes football game yesterday. In the photo, Henry stands between Brian and Vivek, sporting the team's colors.

Photo receives online hate

Vivek Ramaswamy added, “It was an honor to meet Henry yesterday, on a great day for the Buckeyes. He’s an awesome young man with a great family around him. Ignore the mean-spirited internet people, many of whom need mental help of their own (and I hope they get it).” He also congratulated Brian for being a ‘great dad’. Thanking Ramaswamy, Lorenz said “The online bullies hide behind screens, but we’ll keep showing up in real life, at games, at events, and in our community. That’s the difference between living with purpose and living with bitterness.”

Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno also waded into the matter, commenting “The radical left has become so bitter and so pathetic that they bully a special needs child. His crime? Supporting his dad and being a patriot.” He added that Henry is an ‘amazing young man’.

Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom, a non-profit, also said “To those ridiculing a father of a child with Autism, you are the most deplorable of humans. Autism has devastated and torn apart families all across this nation. Rep. Lorenz is a loving and dedicated father. We applaud him for proudly including his son in outings like the OH state game. OAMF stands with Rep. Lorenz and all our families who struggle with the challenges Autism brings.”

Apart from Henry, Lorenz and his wife Sue have triplet girls – Annie, Betsy, and Charlotte.

Lorenz is acutely aware of the problems autistic people face, having seen his own son Henry. In his capacity as lawmaker, he had also introduced ‘Keith’s Law' which was passed earlier this year. It serves to better equip first responders when assisting individuals with special needs during emergencies.

Speaking to National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Home (NAELA), Ohio Chapter, about his motivation, Lorenz had said “I’ve seen the struggles my son has interacting with officers. He is able to drive. He got pulled over for not having his lights on and wasn’t able to communicate well and was very anxious. Thankfully, a school resource officer pulled him over and knew my son. If the officer hadn’t known him, it could have been a tenuous situation.”