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

yellow note with "I QUIT!" on keyboard
Nick Fewings on Unsplash

People's Best 'F—k This, I Don't Get Paid Enough' Work Experiences

In 1977, singer and songwriter Johnny Paycheck scored a mega hit with his working-class anthem, "Take This Job and Shove It."

The lyrics embodied the sentiments of workers and their ultimate fantasy of telling off their boss, as the chorus said:

Keep Reading Show less
Lauren Boebert; Kid Rock
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Lauren Boebert In Hot Water After She's Busted Spending Campaign Funds On Kid Rock Concert Tickets

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert is facing criticism after Federal Election Commission (FEC) records showed she spent over $3,300 of her campaign funds on concert tickets and a hotel in Texas on the same weekend her once-rumored boyfriend—MAGA singer Kid Rock—was performing.

Boebert’s campaign reported expenses for a hotel stay in Arlington, Texas, and for event tickets purchased in May. On May 16, Boebert attended the Rock N Rodeo — part of the Professional Bull Riding Championship World Finals at AT&T Stadium — an event hosted by Kid Rock. She even shared a photo of herself with the singer on social media.

Keep Reading Show less
Left: Ron Perlman; Right: Harvey Weinstein during a court appearance.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images; Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Ron Perlman Leaves Fans Stunned With Story About Peeing On His Hand Before Shaking Harvey Weinstein's

During an especially unsanitary round of storytime on Inside of You with Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum, Ron Perlman resurrected one of Hollywood’s most infamous bits of petty rebellion: the “pee-pee handshake” he claims he once served to convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

Back in the political chaos of 2018, the Sons of Anarchy star revealed that he deliberately peed on his hand before greeting Weinstein at a charity event.

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

Single Woman Explains Why Married Women Are 'Self-Centered' In Their Friendships—And People Have Thoughts

There's nothing quite like the feeling of investing so much of yourself into your friendships and realizing that these people you love are unwilling to reciprocate your love and care.

In recent years, it's become an increasingly common and devastating problem for single women to feel taken advantage of by their married friends. They often feel pressured to support their married friends in their milestones, especially when it comes to their kids, while their milestones as a single person are ignored.

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

TikToker Sparks Debate After Saying She's Suffering From 'Millennial Age Dysmorphia'

Did you know that experiencing trauma, even at a societal level, can have a lasting impact on your brain development, your aging process, and your perception of your age and capabilities?

Millennials, especially Elder Millennials, have become a classic example of this, and it's a wide-spread problem.

Keep Reading Show less