An ongoing Thanksgiving tradition originating six years ago has left a grandmother and Black man on a continuous journey of annual fellowship.
The accidental text sent by Wanda Dench back in 2016 to Jamal Hinton went viral and had people tuned in because of the measure of courtesy. Dench was trying to reach her grandson regarding his attendance for Thanksgiving dinner. However, her invite ended up being delivered to Hinton, who was a stranger to the Mesa, Arizona, resident. But that didn't stop Hinton from taking Dench up on her offer, CBS News reports.
According to People, Hinton took to Twitter on Nov. 14, letting his followers know that the tradition is alive and kicking, saying, “We are all set for year 6?”
We are all set for year 6! ???? pic.twitter.com/wEQioizWGd
— Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) November 14, 2021
Since embarking on their annual tradition, the two have grieved the loss of Dench's husband, Lonnie, who died from COVID-19 in 2020. They held a gathering alongside Dench’s grandson and daughter to honor the patriarch. Hinton also brought his girlfriend, Mikaela, to the celebration.
"I can't even explain how much joy I had, having good food with my favorite company," Dench told CNN after the first Thanksgiving following her husband's untimely passing. "We laughed, we had a great time, we reminisced about the past. It was so good for all of us."
In 2019, Hinton shared a picture of the group commemorating the memory.
"For everyone who thinks it’s just for the cameras and social media! Blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives????," he wrote on his Instagram page.
Dench's response in 2016 to Hinton’s lighthearted question, when he asked if he could still attend Thanksgiving dinner despite not being her grandson, has created a tradition for the two friends that neither has let go of. Hinton drove an hour from Tempe, Arizona, for their first Thanksgiving together, and has done so ever since.
