Grandma and man to reunite for 9th Thanksgiving tradition

Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton, former strangers who met eight years ago in a mistaken text message exchange, are reuniting for their ninth Thanksgiving celebration this week.

Hinton shared an Instagram post Monday, ahead of Thanksgiving, with a collage of photos of him and Dench over the years, writing in the caption, "Excited to announce that I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year for Wanda and I! 🦃✨ Looking forward to a day filled with good food, great company, and lasting memories. Year 9 coming soon!🖤"

The happy announcement comes one month after Dench revealed in a message shared to Hinton's Instagram and social media pages that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

While reflecting at the time on their unexpected friendship and how it has positively shaped their lives, Dench shared that a CT scan for bronchitis unexpectedly uncovered a mass in her breast, leading to a diagnosis of breast cancer after further testing. Dench shared her surprise at her breast cancer diagnosis, noting that cancer doesn't run in her family and her previous mammograms were always clear.

"In 2022 I turned 65 years old and I thought I would have my last mammogram and not have to think about it again. But I was wrong," she wrote at the time.

While the diagnosis initially shocked her, Dench said it also connected her with "wonderful people" throughout her treatment. She also urged others to cherish life and prioritize regular checkups.

"I've learned a lot of life's lessons through it all, but what I want to stress most of all is just because you may be older, we still have a life to live," she wrote. "So continue getting your checkups, and continue to live YOUR life!"

Dench and Hinton's friendship began in 2016, after Hinton received a Thanksgiving text from Dench meant for her family.

After confirming the mistake, Hinton lightheartedly asked if he could still join Dench for dinner, to which Dench replied, "Of course you can. That's what grandmas do ... feed everyone."

The pair quickly became friends and their story subsequently went viral. The two have spent every Thanksgiving together since then.

Their friendship has endured through life's ups and downs: In 2020, Dench shared that her husband Lonnie had died from COVID-19.

In 2021, Netflix announced it would make a film, "The Thanksgiving Text," about their unique bond. The movie will highlight their deep friendship, despite their differences, and the unlikely connection sparked by a wrong number, according to Netflix.

"We hope it inspires more people to reach out and make connections that they wouldn't ordinarily make," Hinton and Dench said in a statement shared by Netflix at the time. "We are so blessed to find a genuine friendship brought together by God from a mistaken text message."