Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'Thanksgiving Grandma' Who Accidentally Texted Stranger Spends 8th Holiday With Him

Jamal Hinton and Wanda Dench
@Jamalhinton12/X

Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton, along with a special Airbnb guest, spent their 8th Thanksgiving together after Dench sent a viral text in 2016 to Hinton mistakenly thinking he was her grandson.

One of our favorite Thanksgiving tradition continues...

No, it's not waking up early to catch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade or Googling "how to stream A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving this year." It's not even the food or football.


It's the annual Thanksgiving reunion of two strangers who found each other through an accidental text eight years ago.

In 2016, Wanda Dench thought she'd sent a text to her grandson inviting him to Thanksgiving dinner. The message, however, was actually sent to Jamal Hinton, an absolute stranger, who let Dench know she texted the wrong number.

He jokingly added:

"Can I still get a plate tho?"

And the rest is history.

Hinton did attend Dench's—a.k.a. "Thanksgiving Grandma's"—holiday dinner that year, as well as every Thanksgiving after that.

This year marks their eighth anniversary, and it seems as though this one was as lovely as the rest.

Hinton took to X to share a photo of the annual get together, this time joined by an Airbnb guest.

Hinton and Dench also collaborated on an Instagram post featuring their "year 8 selfie."

They also thanked their Airbnb guest Arseni in the caption:

"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 partnered with Airbnb for a special promotion celebrating their anniversary by pricing a one-night stay for two guests at just $16, a nod to the year they met.

They wrote on Instagram ahead of the holiday:

"To celebrate our eighth Thanksgiving together (yes, eight!), we’re partnering with @airbnb this year to host a couple extra seats at our table 🦃."

People on social media are still as smitten with this story as they were in 2016.













Earlier this month, Hinton told PEOPLE that he loves sharing his story with others.

“It's always amazing to meet someone and talk to them for a couple minutes when you're out, or if anyone recognizes me from a Thanksgiving story or anything like that."
“But to be able to sit down and actually talk to them for a full day, and especially sometimes with no media around or to really just get to know each other, I think that that's going to be a beautiful friendship that can continue for years, kind of like me and Wanda."

It is a beautiful story—and we're officially counting down the days until next Thanksgiving.

More from Trending

Pam Bondi
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Photo Of Epstein Victims Standing Behind Pam Bondi As She Ignores Them Goes Viral—And It's One For The History Books

Attorney General Pam Bondi's appearance before the House Judiciary Committee will now forever be associated with a viral photo captured by Getty Images photographer Roberto Schmidt showing several victims of the late financier, sex trafficker, and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein raising their hands to signal that Bondi and the Justice Department had ignored their accounts.

Democrats repeatedly pressed Bondi over what they described as her dismissive posture toward the crimes of Epstein and the influential figures named in recently released files.

Keep Reading Show less
Margot Robbie attends the "Wuthering Heights" Australian Premiere at State Theatre in Sydney, Australia.
Don Arnold/WireImage via Getty Images

Fans Horrified After Margot Robbie Reveals Weight-Shaming 'Gift' She Once Got From Male Costar

Margot Robbie is reflecting on a moment from early in her career that still stings.

The Australian actor and producer appeared on Complex’s GOAT Talk series on February 9, where she sat down with Charli XCX to discuss her career, romance films, and the worst gift she has ever received. What followed was a candid story about a male costar who handed her something that felt less like a present and more like a pointed message.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshot from Redditor Bulgingpants' Reddit post
u/Bulgingpants/Reddit

Restaurant Sparks Heated Debate After Adding Mandatory 20% No-Tipping Fee To Diners' Checks

Tipping culture is an incredibly divisive topic, leading people to question if customers and restaurant guests should be made responsible for the livelihood of those who serve them their meals at these establishments.

Redditor Bulgingpants added fuel to the fire when they shared a receipt in the "End Tipping" subReddit from a restaurant called Burdell in Oakland, California, remarking:

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshots from @hackedliving's TikTok video
@hackedliving/TikTok

Viral Video Of Delivery Robot Maneuvering Around Unhoused Man In Miami Is Honestly So Dystopian

Technology is here to make our lives more convenient and successful, but it has a chilling way of calling out problems that we're experiencing.

In a TikTok video recorded by TikToker @hackedliving, an delivery robot named "Akira" was seen rolling down a sidewalk in Miami, eyes blinking as it approached its destination.

Keep Reading Show less
'Dawson's Creek' cast
Warner Bros./Getty Images

'Dawson's Creek' Stars Lead Poignant Tributes To James Van Der Beek After His Tragic Death At 48

After revealing to the public in November 2025 that he was battling colorectal cancer, James Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at the age of 48.

Fans became concerned last December about the severity of his condition when Van Der Beek was unable to appear at the Dawson's Creek reunion at New York's Richard Rodgers Theatre, due to having multiple illnesses at once because of his weakened immune system.

Keep Reading Show less