Some may say that good things happen when you meet strangers, and for this Arizona couple, that appears to be true, as they plan to spend their ninth Thanksgiving together.
In 2016, Wanda Dench intended to invite her grandchildren to Thanksgiving, but accidentally sent a text message to Jamal Hinton in Phoenix.
The two realized their mistake after she sent her photo confirmation and Hinton replied. ”[You’re] Not my grandma,” she added with a laughing emoji.
Airport travelers are enjoying 'check-in chicken' with the latest trend in flight booking
Ms. Hinton attached a selfie to confirm that her phone number was incorrect, but Ms. Dench asked if they could stop by for dinner anyway.
Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton have had eight Thanksgiving dinners together. (Thomas Ingersoll)
The story was widely shared on X (Twitter at the time) and captured the hearts of followers.
This year, Hinton will be hosting Thanksgiving, and Dench, after nearly a decade of sharing holiday meals together, will be visiting Hinton's home to celebrate together.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Dench and Hinton for comment.
I'm excited to announce that I'll be hosting Thanksgiving for Wanda and I this year! 🦃✨ We're looking forward to a day filled with delicious food, great company, and lasting memories. It's almost the 9th year! pic.twitter.com/HgDuJpjK8Y
— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 25, 2024
“I'm excited to announce that I'll be hosting Thanksgiving for Wanda and I this year! We're looking forward to a day full of delicious food, great company, and lasting memories. Coming up for our 9th year! It will be,” Hinton posted on X this week.
Eat the turkey and leave the gravy: Thankful food that TSA may confiscate at airport security
One guy from X commented, “This is the best annual tradition on the app.”
Hinton and Dench have not missed celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday together since 2016. (FOX10 Phoenix)
Another user said, “Oh my god this is so wholesome! Looking forward to this annual update bookmarked for my soul.”
A woman commented, “I wonder why it makes me want to cry.''
“My Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without an update from you both. Thank you for sharing your story with us,” another added.
For more lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle.
The woman commented, “Congratulations on 9 years of friendship. I've been following your story from the beginning. Lots of love to you all.''
According to Hinton's latest post on X, he plans to host a Thanksgiving dinner in 2024, and Dench is expected to attend. In 2023, they formed a travel partnership with Airbnb and invited a third stranger to the festival. (Thomas Ingersoll)
This year will be special, as Dench shared with her followers in October that she was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.
“I learned a lot about life [lessons] We've been through it all, but the thing I want to emphasize most is that even though you're older, we still have life to live,” Dench posted.
She quoted Proverbs 31:25 and wrote, “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
Last year, Dench opened her home in partnership with Airbnb to share more of her Thanksgiving traditions with strangers.
A room in her Prescott Valley, Arizona, home was listed, giving one lucky traveler a Thanksgiving to remember.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
As part of the partnership, Airbnb made a one-time donation to Feeding America to provide food and assistance to the 32 million Americans who face hunger each year.
