Their Thanksgiving customs are sweeter than candied sweet potatoes.
A youngster from Arizona who was unintentionally invited to Thanksgiving dinner in 2016 by an old stranger will spend the holiday with the generous grandmother for the seventh consecutive year, he revealed this week.
Wanda Dench, 65, of Mesa did not realize her grandson had changed his cellphone number in November of that year when she sent an invitation to Jamal Hinton’s phone.
The then-17-year-old, who lived a few towns away, responded with a laughing emoji and the words, “You’re not my grandmother. Can I still obtain a plate?”
Dench said, “You certainly can. Grandmothers are responsible for feeding everyone.
Since then, Hinton, who is now 23 years old, has honored her invitation each year and will dine with her on Thursday, he added.
Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton have spent every Thanksgiving since her inadvertent invitation together.
Due to a misdirected text message, the duo developed a relationship and a Christmas ritual.
Jamal Hinton
“To address all of your inquiries, yes, the seventh Thanksgiving is planned! We’ll see you on Thursday!” Hinton uploaded a photo of himself and Dench on Instagram, along with his own caption.
The image depicts the unusual duo standing outside The Cheesecake Factory with Hinton’s arm around the giggling grandmother.
Hinton initially stirred hearts by tweeting a screenshot of their text message discussion. In November 2016, a photograph of Dench’s friends sharing Thanksgiving meal with her husband went viral.
Hinton has uploaded an annual snapshot of himself with his “second family” as part of their custom.
»Grandma and stranger celebrate 7th Thanksgiving together«