Thanksgiving Tradition for Grandma and Teen Started 7 Years Ago Over Accidental Text

One text to the wrong number seven years ago has created a bond and Thanksgiving tradition like no other for a grandmother and teen. When Wanda Dench thought she was texting her grandson an invitation for Thanksgiving dinner and Jamal Hinton, then 17, got that text instead, the unlikely friendship, that's now turned into family, was born.

In November 2016, Dench, now 65, thought she sent her 24-year-old grandson a text about Thanksgiving dinner. She didn't know that he changed his phone number and Hinton got that invitation instead. After some back and forth about the mix-up, the two sent each other selfies to confirm who they were speaking to, and Hinton asked if he was still invited to dinner. Dench, responded back, "Of course you can. That's what grandmas do...feed everyone." And so the friendship began, as well as a new Thanksgiving tradition. For the seventh Thanksgiving in a row, the two will be spending it together.

Every Thanksgiving since the text, the two have spent together, and Hinton documents each year on his Instagram page. Yesterday he posted a photo of the two captioned, "To answer all your questions, yes Thanksgiving year 7 is planned out! See you guys Thursday! 🦃🖤"

The two recently appeared on an episode of the "Today" show and discussed their lives together. "He's literally changed my life and my point of view on the young generations about being open to friendships when you think you have nothing in common with somebody," Dench said. "But when you just sit and talk to them? Oh my gosh."

Hinton added, "I honestly don't know where I would be sometimes. It's amazing to have her as a friend and as my family," he said. "We always talk about - I told her, 'The cameras and the fame can stop tomorrow and nothing is changing between us.'" Dench responded, "He's in my heart for life."

Sadly, Dench's husband Lonnie passed away in April 2020 after a battle with COVID. Hinton announced the sad news on Instagram, and was there for Dench, along with his girlfriend Mikaela.

In December 2021, the two announced that their amazing story will become a Netflix film. Hinton tweeted the exciting news saying, "I am very excited to announce our new partnership with Netflix. We thank every single one of you for your love and support in our journey the last 6 years. We can't wait to tell our story on the big screen!"

According to Variety, the film is titled, "The Thanksgiving Text" and will recount the true story of the how the two met and kept their friendship and Thanksgiving tradition going strong since 2016. In a joint statement to Variety, the two said, "We are excited to share our story with the world. We hope it inspires more people to reach out and make connections that they wouldn't ordinarily make. We are so blessed to find a genuine friendship brought together by God from a mistaken text message."

The two keep in touch all year round, not just at Thanksgiving. Year eight for the two may be slightly different since Dench is retiring and planning to move a few hours away, but Hinton said he will drive to spend the holiday with her.