An Arizona grandmother and the stranger to whom she accidentally texted a Thanksgiving invitation in 2016 celebrated their eighth holiday dinner together this week – and welcomed a new guest to the tradition.
Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton, whose unexpected Thanksgiving went viral nearly a decade ago, expanded their annual get-together this year by inviting another stranger into her home.
Dench and Hinton met their new guest by listing a Thanksgiving stay at her home on Airbnb. “Exciting news, guys – our Thanksgiving year 8 plans are with you! With @airbnb’s help, we’re hosting you and a friend at Wanda’s home this year,” Hinton said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The meal appeared to be a success, with Hinton tweeting a photo of himself, Dench and their guest all smiling broadly. “That’s a wrap on Thanksgiving year 8! Thankful for the connections we made hosting our first @airbnb guest,” he wrote.
The room was listed at $16 per night.
Hinton also posted the picture of the group on Instagram, writing: “Our year 8 selfie 🧡 Thanks for staying with us, Arseni, and for being part of the good in the world this holiday season #airbnbpartner.”
Dench and Hinton’s meeting nearly a decade ago was as serendipitous as it gets. Dench had meant to text her grandson an invitation to Thanksgiving dinner, but she messaged Hinton, then a 17-year-old high school student, by mistake.
They figured out the error and swapped selfies. Hinton asked whether he could join in the festivities anyway, according to ABC 7 Los Angeles.
“You not my grandma,” Denton said. “Can I still get a plate tho?”
“Of course you can,” Dench reportedly replied. “That’s what grandmas do … feed every one.”
Their first repast blossomed into a lasting friendship, with the duo supporting one another in times good and bad.
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When Dench’s husband, Lonnie, died from Covid-19 in 2020, Hinton provided support. He put together a care package that included recordings from people worldwide who wished to send her condolence messages.
The pair filmed a video in July 2020 about the importance of masking. “Do what you can, not just for yourself but for all your loved ones as well,” Dench said.
When they had their 2020 Thanksgiving meal, which was the first since her husband’s passing, Dench posted a photo of them holding a framed picture of Lonnie.
“This Thanksgiving along with all the holidays coming up aren’t going to be the same as past ones but we will make the best of it,” Hinton said. “Rest In Peace to Lonnie and everyone else we lost this year.”