Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for those who celebrate it. And as the winter approaches and the holiday is just around the corner, we get this feeling of nostalgia and togetherness and feel the urge to spend those special moments with those that mean to us the most. The same goes for other holidays, such as Thanksgiving, the time when we share our gratitude and feel thankful for everything we have.
A story of an elderly lady texting her grandson to come over for Thanksgiving, but sending the message to someone else by mistake, went viral some years ago. If you wonder why, let us remind you of Wanda Dench, who invited her grandson to her home but had no idea he changed numbers. Instead, the text went to a young man named Jamal Hinton.
When he asked who was texting him, Wanda answered, “Your grandma.” Jamal then wrote, “You are not ma grandma, Can I still get a plate tho?”
“Of course you can,” Wanda replied. “That’s what grandmas do …feed every one.”
As promised! Here’s our 2019 update 🦃 @mikaela_autumn pic.twitter.com/hHGZUXYzr3
— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 29, 2019
Fast forward, Jamal appeared on Wanda’s doorstep and they had a fun time together with the rest of Wanda’s family.
This happened in 2016, and from that Thanksgiving on, Jamal never missed a chance to spend the holiday with the Denches.
Last year, both Wanda and her husband Lonnie had COVID-19, and while she recovered, he didn’t make it.
I am so sad to announce that Wanda and Lonnie both have COVID-19 and that Lonnie is currently in the hospital fighting both COVID and Pneumonia please send words of love and encouragement their way 💛🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/tUNpUB20qg
— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) April 2, 2020
Last year, the group gathered once again. Well, it became a tradition for them to spend Thanksgiving together, and now Jamal’s girlfriend was invited as well. On Nov. 26, 2020, Jamal posted the annual photo we’ve all been waiting for. They all stood around a framed photo of Lonnie, and Jamal wrote, “Thank you @wandadench for such an amazing celebration! You are such a blessing to this world. We miss you Lonnie.”
Thank you @wandadench for such an amazing celebration! You are such a blessing to this world. We miss you Lonnie💙 pic.twitter.com/7vOlaC4sfp
— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 26, 2020
This year, they are planing on meeting again. “We are all set for year 6!” Jamal tweeted a few days ago.
It is amazing how a simple text led to such a beautiful friendship which lasts for years.
“We moved around a lot, so I was always going to new places,” Wanda, who grew up in a military family told ABC News. “And so strangers were not strangers to me. Family is more than blood. It’s the people you want to be with.”
