Viral Thanksgiving grandma and guest celebrate together for seventh year

It’s Thanksgiving this week, which means it’s time to gather with family, eat a ridiculously large bird, and enjoy another update from unlikely viral friends Jamal Hinton and Wanda Dench.

This is the seventh Thanksgiving the pair have spent together, after first meeting in 2016 thanks to a mistaken text message that went viral. Dench, a then 59-year-old grandmother, had intended to text her grandson to invite him over for Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending upon your point of view — said grandson had recently changed his number. The invitation was instead delivered to then 17-year-old Hinton, who quickly figured out the mixup.

Hinton jokingly asked for a plate anyway, Dench earnestly invited him along, and the exchange was subsequently posted online. The rest is Thanksgiving history.

Tweet may have been deleted
(opens in a new tab)

The unlikely duo have become sincere friends, starting an annual tradition of spending Thanksgiving together. This year they also took the opportunity to announce a new joint venture, having started a business selling alkaline water together.

While Hinton teased their reunion a few days ago, the two don’t just hang out during the holidays. Earlier this year Hinton accompanied Dench when she went to get her first tattoo — three stars in remembrance of her husband Lonnie Dench, her mother, and her father. Dench also tweeted congratulations to Hinton for starting his own car detailing business. And it seems as though both of them are fans of the Los Angeles Rams.

Tweet may have been deleted
(opens in a new tab)

Tweet may have been deleted
(opens in a new tab)

Though already well-chronicled, Hinton and Dench’s friendship will soon be further immortalised in film. Last year Netflix announced it will be making a movie based on their story, to be written by The Bobby Brown Story‘s Abdul Williams.

“We are excited to share our story with the world,” the duo said in a joint statement to Variety at the time. “We hope it inspires more people to reach out and make connections that they wouldn’t ordinarily make.”

Getting an update on Hinton and Dench has become an annual Thanksgiving tradition for many, almost as important as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s heartwarming to see they’re both doing well, and that their friendship is going strong.