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Brayden Harrington, 13, who bonded with Joe Biden over struggles with stutter delivers powerful speech at DNC

Brayden Harrington from New Hampshire was praised for his "pure, unvarnished courage" after delivering a moving speech in support of Joe Biden

A 13-year-old New Hampshire boy who bonded with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden over their mutual struggles with stuttering delivered a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention endorsing the former vice president.

Brayden Harrington had first met Biden during a town hall in New Hampshire back in February and spoke of the impact the 77-year-old had on him in a televised address at the DNC during a primetime slot on Thursday, August 20.

"It was really amazing to hear that someone like me became vice president," Brayden said, stumbling on the last word. "He told me about a book of poems by Yeats he would read aloud to practice."

The teen shared how Biden had shown him the speech he had delivered at the town hall that had markings on its pages which indicated when he could take breaks between words. He also told him how he had overcome his stutter by practice. "He showed me how he marks his addresses to make them easier to say out loud. So I did the same thing today. And now I’m here talking to you today about the future, about our future," the teen said.

"My wife and I have always tried to find various people my son can relate to that stutter, and I'd read that Joe Biden stuttered and he was really respectful and kind to others in the same situation, such as children," his father, Owen, had said before his son's first meeting with the former vice president.

And he was proved right, with Biden reportedly taking time out of his schedule to speak with Brayden, then 12, face-to-face. "He put his focus on Brayden and made time for him, talked to him, explained that it doesn't define him, he's stronger, that he's a good person," the father said. "It was really overwhelming for Brayden. He started breaking down a little bit."

Biden then invited Brayden backstage to continue their conversation and offer more advice. Owen said it was a moving connection for his son because children who stutter often don't know other children facing the same struggle. "They see it as something different, that they're different. And he just did a really nice job really connecting with him."

After their conversation, the 77-year-old even asked Brayden for his phone number so he could call and check on his progress. That meeting changed his life, Brayden attested at the DNC, before stating that children across the country would reap the benefits if he won against Trump.

"Joe Biden cared," Brayden said. "Imagine what he could do for all of us. Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to. Someone who cares. Someone who will make the country and the world feel better. We're counting on you to elect Joe Biden."

Brayden's speech was praised by US veteran journalist Dan Rather, who described it as "pure, unvarnished courage." CNN's senior Washington correspondent Jeff Zeleny spoke of it in similarly glowing terms, tweeting, "Brayden Harrington, the 13-year-old New Hampshire boy with a stutter, is just remarkable. What courage and guts it took him to do this. Good luck, Brayden. You will go far."