December 1, 2025
Jamal Hinton and Wanda Dench became an internet Thanksgiving staple after a wrong text made them family.
The internet’s favorite Thanksgiving duo is celebrating a milestone in their unorthodox friendship.
In 2016, Jamal Hinton went viral on then-Twitter for a screenshot of a text exchange with the wrong number. Wanda Dench accidentally sent him an invitation to her Thanksgiving, mistaking his number for one of her grandchildren’s.
Skeptical of who sent the message, Hinton asked for a photo to verify if the woman was his own family. The then-17-year-old was surprised to see Dench, a white woman, respond via a selfie. Hinton, a Black person, sent back a selfie of himself, confirming that the two were probably not related.
Despite the mix-up, Hinton asked if the invitation still stood, to which Dench happily said yes. The budding friendship between the two went viral on social media, as Hinton grabbed a seat at his new grandma’s Thanksgiving table. Dench recalled the matter, deeming it fate that she meet Hinton.
“My grandkids were teasing me that ‘we should take technology away from grandma, because she doesn’t know how to use it properly,’” Dench said, according to CNN. “But it wasn’t my fault! My grandson was the one who changed his phone number, and Jamal ended up with it.”
The two turned the mistake into a tradition, and now celebrate together every Thanksgiving to the internet’s delight. The media attention led to brand sponsorships and more, yet the deals could not compare to the genuine care and love for one another.
The two maintained their relationship even as both endured life changes, including the death of Dench’s husband in 2020. Last year, they missed out on a physical reunion as well due to Dench undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Now, the two continue to be each other’s rock during the holiday season. This time, Hinton invited Dench to come sit at his family’s Thanksgiving table.
Dench said no matter how much the attention their unusual relationship receives, including an apparent Netflix film in the works, their bond would stay the same.
“The only thing I can imagine is, our friendship is genuine. It’s not fake,” Dench said. “If all the media went away, and all the hoopla went away, we would still meet together for Thanksgiving every year.”
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