Grandma And Her Unexpected Thanksgiving Friend Celebrate Apart For The First Time In 9 Years
Have you ever thought about how unexpected moments can spark lifelong friendships? Sometimes, the best connections happen by chance—a shared laugh, a random encounter, or even a simple gesture. These unplanned bonds often grow into something truly special, showing us how unpredictable and beautiful life can be.
For the first time in 9 years, a grandmother and a man who formed an unlikely friendship after an accidental Thanksgiving dinner invitation spent the holiday apart. Their unexpected friendship began in 2016 when Wanda Dench, then 65, accidentally sent a holiday invite to Jamal Hinton, a 17-year-old stranger.
When Jamal received a text from a stranger claiming to be his grandma, he didn’t just ignore it. Instead, he responded with a playful selfie and pointed out the mix-up, “You’re not my grandma.” He then boldly asked if he could still stop by for a meal.
The kind-hearted grandma replied with warmth, “Of course, you can. That’s what grandmas do… feed everyone.” What started as a mistaken text turned into a heartwarming friendship that captured hearts everywhere.
Happy Thanksgiving from MY FAMILY to yours 💞We are all wishing @dench_wanda a fast healthy recovery.
Year 9 didn’t go as planned but we will be back better than ever for YEAR 10. See you guys next year! 🦃🏡❤️ pic.twitter.com/GjHfb6hCE0— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 29, 2024
In 2024, life took a challenging turn for Dench when she shared that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her journey began earlier in the year with a bout of bronchitis. During a CT scan to monitor her lungs, doctors unexpectedly discovered a mass in her breast.
“That’s when a mass in my breast was detected and they suggested I get a mammogram and that verified I had breast cancer,” Dench shared.
As she faced chemotherapy treatments, the grandma, who lost her husband Lonnie in 2020, had to make a tough decision about her annual dinner with Hinton.
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“I just recently finished up with chemotherapy, so I’m not 100% yet. And I live about two hours away from where Jamal lives. And so we decided that this year would be best for my health if I stayed at home,” she said.
“We will FaceTime with each other. I was looking forward to meeting his family and having turkey with everybody, but we have to accept things the way they are, and I’m sure next year is going to be so much better.”
Finally, instead of their usual gathering, the heartwarming friends connected on Instagram Live.