How Wanda Dench, Jamal Hinton Celebrated 10th Thanksgiving Together

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Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton’s Thanksgiving plans are still going strong. 

Ten years ago, a teenager received a text meant for someone else, inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner. Now, a decade later, he and the woman who sent the message – affectionately known as “Thanksgiving Grandma” – continue to share the holiday together every year.

Jamal, age 25, and Wanda recently shared a glimpse of their Thanksgiving celebration on Instagram. They posted photos of themselves enjoying the holiday, including a sunny selfie and a picture of the pumpkin pie they made.

A photo captured the pair planning their meal, featuring big portions of mac and cheese, buttered corn, mashed potatoes, and peach cobbler.

Oh my gosh, you guys! They posted the cutest Thanksgiving message! It said ‘Happy Thanksgiving!’ and then… and then they talked about celebrating 10 years of being friends, which is so sweet, and 100 years of Green Giant veggies – can you believe it?! But the best part was how they said it was all about the memories, from silly selfies to plates piled high with food! I’m seriously living for this. It’s just… perfect!

Indeed, the decade-long friendship is one that both parties are thankful for. 

Just earlier this month, the couple shared a sweet memory: they posted that ten years ago, a simple text message is how their relationship began.

They even gave fans a peek into what would be on the table this Thanksgiving.

Jamal shared on Instagram on November 13th that Thanksgiving preparations are underway. He mentioned they’re looking forward to enjoying their favorite side dishes, like a traditional green bean casserole made with Green Giant vegetables.

Wanda and her friend have met every Thanksgiving since first getting together in 2016, but last year’s holiday was a little different. In October 2024, Wanda shared that she was fighting breast cancer, after losing her husband, Lonnie Dench, to COVID-19 in April 2020. Despite her treatment, she was determined to still see her friend.

I was so happy to see that they still plan on having Thanksgiving together next month! Jamal shared the sweetest message from her saying it’s something they do every year, and it just warmed my heart. It’s lovely to see traditions continuing.

But it just wasn’t in the cards for them to spend the day together in-person.

Wanda explained to CNN last Thanksgiving that she had recently completed chemotherapy and wasn’t feeling fully recovered yet. Because she lives about two hours away from Jamal, they both agreed it was best for her health if she stayed home this year.

But that didn’t stop Wanda and Jamal from celebrating the day virtually.

She said we’re going to FaceTime, which is… okay, I guess, but it’s not the same! I was seriously dreaming about finally meeting his family, you know? Thanksgiving dinner with everyone would have been perfect. But she says we have to be realistic, and honestly, I’m just clinging to the hope that next year will be magical. It has to be. I’m already picturing it!

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe how this all started! It’s the most amazing story ever! Back in 2016, Wanda – bless her heart – totally mixed up her contacts and accidentally texted Jamal instead of her sweet grandson, Randall Burgoyne. It was a complete mistake, but honestly, it was the BEST mistake ever! That one little text launched everything!

I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my place on November 24th at 3:00pm. Please let me know if you can make it – I’m hoping to see everyone, including Amanda and Justin!

The seventeen-year-old asked, “Who are those?”, and Wanda responded, “Your grandma,” including a grandma emoji.

Jamal asked Wanda for a photo to confirm her identity. When she sent it, he realized she wasn’t his grandmother and told her so.

He added, “Can I still get a plate tho?” 

“Of course you can,” Wanda answered. “That’s what grandma’s do…feed every one.”

And the rest, is Thanksgiving history.

Keep reading for a look back at Jamal and Wanda’s sweet as pie Thanksgiving tradition…

The two reunited for a Thanksgiving meal for the eighth consecutive year.

Jamal recently collaborated with Airbnb for a special promotion, and they had a guest named Arseni join them. Jamal shared a photo on Instagram, captioning it, “Our year 8 selfie!” and thanking Arseni for staying with them and spreading positivity during the holidays. He also included the hashtag #airbnbpartner.

The two reunited for the seventh consecutive Thanksgiving.

“Thanksgiving 2021,” Jamal wrote on Instagram. “6 years strong.”

Jamal shared a Thanksgiving message on Instagram, celebrating five years of something positive. This year’s holiday was particularly poignant for Wanda, as it was her first without her husband, Lonnie Dench, who sadly passed away from COVID-19 in April 2020.

“As promised!” Jamal wrote on Instagram. “Here’s our 2019 update.”

Jamal wrote on Instagram, “It’s a tradition now #thanksgiving2018.”

Jamal shared on Instagram that his Thanksgiving reunion with someone – for the second year in a row – was especially memorable. He wrote, “I guess you can say Thanksgiving was one for the books.”

In 2016, Jamal unexpectedly received a Thanksgiving dinner invitation from Wanda, who had mistakenly texted him instead of her grandson. Wanda explained it away with a sweet sentiment: “That’s just what grandmas do—they feed everyone!”

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2025-11-28 18:47