Back in 2016, an incredible text exchange took place — and it all happened due to a wrong number. Wanda Dench thought she was sending a message to her grandson, inviting him over for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, she managed to contact Jamal Hinton.
The mixup itself was very sweet. "Thanksgiving dinner is at my house," she wrote to him. "Let me know if you're coming." Jamal asked who it was, and Wanda responded with "Your grandma."
Puzzled, he asked her to take a picture. She sent a smiling selfie back, which is when Jamal realized she had reached the wrong person. He sent one back as proof, and then jokingly asked if he could still get a plate. Wanda, quite kindly, told him to come on over. "Of course you can," she said. "That's what grandma's do. Feed everyone." From that point forward, history was made. The two met in person and started celebrating Thanksgiving together.
Jamal was only 17 at the time, making the story even sweeter. The fact that he showed up that day, when he easily could have dismissed the invite, showed he had a lot of heart. Even better, he kept showing up as the years went on, proving the two had a natural bond. This wasn't just an attempt to go viral — it was an attempt to show that friendships can truly happen anywhere.
When Jamal first got the text, he had no clue how much it would blow up on social media. He reportedly shared it online with the caption, "Somebody grandma is coming in clutch this year!! Ayee!!!" At the time, he likely had no idea that he was about to start an annual tradition.
Unfortunately, as the years changed, so did Wanda's family. This year, her husband, Lonnie, died due to the coronavirus. It's yet another reminder of how devastating this year has been for many families. This year changed up many households throughout the world. Wanda was also sick, according to Jamal's Instagram.
"I am so sad to announce that Wanda and Lonnie both have COVID-19 and that Lonnie is currently in the hospital fighting both COVID and Pneumonia," Jamal wrote. "Please send words of love and encouragement their way." He also posted after Lonnie died, saying, "Wanda told me all the love and support he was receiving put a huge smile on his face so I thank every single one of you guys for that!"
Wanda and Jamal still honored Lonnie on the day of their celebration. They took a picture of the two of them at the table, with a photograph of Lonnie right next to them. Even if he wasn't there physically, he was there in spirit. Jamal makes a point to show to people that these connections are genuine — they're not just for social media.
"For everyone who thinks it’s just for the cameras and social media!" Jamal said in one photo caption. "Blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives." Many of Jamal's Instagram photos include the kind couple, meaning that their gesture from 2016 really made an impact.
Back in May, Wanda was interviewed for the first time about the death of Lonnie. The tears in her eyes clearly show the love they had for each other. They were married for 41 years, going on 42, before he died. Being isolated in the hospital was hard for both of them.
"Lonnie kept getting sicker, and finally we did call the doctor," Wanda told AZFamily. When he died, Wanda was heartened to see that both Lonnie and "RIP Lonnie" were trending on Twitter. People were grieving his death worldwide.
Jamal and his girlfriend were also very helpful during Wanda's time of grieving. They reportedly collected videos from strangers and other well-wishers worldwide, all who have been touched by Wanda and Jamal's story. In the video, countless people express their appreciation for Lonnie, whom they got to know well due to the family's unique tradition.
"I was overwhelmed," Wanda said, in regard to all of the love and support she received. "I did not expect that at all." Many people who Lonnie knew personally but hadn't connected with for some time were also able to pay their respects due to the attention the story brought.
Lonnie would have loved to know that the tradition between Jamal and Wanda was still going strong, even though they likely had to take plenty of precautions. Both of them learned firsthand how devastating the effects of COVID-19 can be. It's important to be together with loved ones, but it's also important to make sure everyone stays safe and distanced.
It may seem a bit odd that a wrong-number text could create such a loving and genuine friendship. But it's a reminder that kindness can go a long way. Had Jamal refused to respond, or if he had just deleted the exchange after realizing the sender had goofed, both of their paths would have been much different. This year, Jamal reminded Wanda that the holiday was still worth celebrating.
"I wasn't looking forward to it at first because Lonnie wasn't going to be there," Wanda told CNN. "The past seven months have been so difficult, but this was really important to me. I can't even explain how much joy I had, having good food with my favorite company. We laughed, we had a great time, we reminisced about the past. It was so good for all of us."
Jamal admits that the Thankgsiving meal this year — which happened early so that everyone could get tested for the virus before the actual holiday with their own families — started out sad but ended on a wonderful note. "We had a photo of Lonnie at the table with a candle lit, and we were all shaky in the beginning but it lasted five minutes before we were back to ourselves," he said. "We just told jokes and stories and shared our memories of Lonnie, so it was amazing."
For those of you who have also lost someone special this year, taking some time to honor their memory is a wonderful way to pay tribute. Hopefully, Jamal and Wanda's next Thanksgiving together will be even more joyous.
