‘I know it was fate’: Woman sends Thanksgiving invite to wrong number and realizes her mistake, but his cheeky reply starts a beautiful tradition

Arizona grandmother Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton are celebrating their tenth Thanksgiving together this year. This marks a decade since a simple texting mistake brought them together. To make the occasion even more special, they’ve partnered with Green Giant, which is also celebrating its 100th anniversary. Hinton said having this partnership for their tenth year “makes this holiday feel especially meaningful.”

According to Unilad, the friendship began ten years ago when Dench tried to text her grandson about Thanksgiving plans. She accidentally sent the message to Hinton instead. When she sent a photo to confirm who she was, Dench realized her error. But Hinton’s reply made all the difference. He jokingly asked if he could still come for dinner despite the mix-up. Dench immediately said yes and kept her invitation open.

The tradition has continued every year since then, but they faced a challenge in 2024. Last Thanksgiving would have been their ninth celebration, but they had to stay apart. They only connected briefly through Instagram Live. Dench had just finished chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Doctors found a mass during a CT scan she got for bronchitis.

Sometimes fate works through a text message

Dench lives about two hours from Hinton. She said staying home during treatment was the best choice for her health. “I just recently finished up with chemotherapy, so I’m not 100 percent yet,” she explained on social media. She was disappointed to miss meeting his family and sharing turkey together. However, she stayed positive and believed the next year would be much better.

Their story has become famous worldwide. Every Thanksgiving, people share it again online. Both Dench and Hinton say this friendship means far more than just a funny mistake. Not all Thanksgiving surprises turn out this well, though.

Some families discovered shocking delivery mishaps at home just days before the holiday. Dench believes her meeting with Hinton was meant to happen. “I know it was fate,” she said. “All the signs beforehand just fell into place. I feel every day I’m grateful and blessed because I would’ve never met somebody as wonderful as Jamal just randomly like that.”

Hinton always wanted to be famous and loves that their story makes people happy. Dench admits she was nervous about all the attention at first. She even joked about whether people might get “tired of us hogging up the news.” But the positive comments they receive remind her why they keep sharing their story. “That’s worth everything,” she said about bringing joy to others.

Hinton agrees the response is always great. “It’s amazing every year,” he said. “People get so excited to see us. As a kid, I always dreamed of being famous, so to know our story brings joy to people – it means everything.”

Their tenth celebration with Green Giant’s partnership makes this year feel extra special. The holiday season often brings out unexpected moments, like when Stephen Miller shared his controversial Thanksgiving message that left many people confused.

This story shows that good things can come from simple mistakes. A wrong number text led to a beautiful ten-year friendship that continues to inspire people everywhere.