- In 2016, Grandma Wanda sent a Thanksgiving invite to Jamal, thinking the number was her grandson’s.
- Despite being strangers, Wanda and Jamal still honored the invite and celebrated the holiday together.
- They have since spent the holiday together every year, and this year marks their 6th Thanksgiving reunion!
When a grandma sent a Thanksgiving dinner invite to the wrong number, she didn’t know that it would be the start of a beautiful friendship that would continue for many years to come.
Back in 2016, Wanda Dench was inviting her grandson to Thanksgiving, only to realize that his number had changed. She had messaged a stranger, Jamal Hinton.
But when Jamal asked if he could still come, she made sure that her offer still stands.
Jamal’s girlfriend Mikaela was also welcome, and the couple joined Wanda, her husband Lonnie, and their family to celebrate the annual holiday.
A touched Jamal said at the time that he was reminded “that there are still some good people left in this world.”
Despite being a stranger, Jamal said that he felt at home. It turns out that Lonnie was a veteran and that his friends were always welcome for dinner, so Wanda has been used to having people over.
Wanda and Jamal became friends, and they ended up creating a wonderful yearly tradition!
They became such good friends that they would meet up occasionally even on non-holidays.
Sadly, Wanda and Lonnie contracted COVID-19 in 2020, and Lonnie succumbed to complications. Jamal and Mikaela still joined Wanda and her family for a smaller, socially distanced Thanksgiving celebration, while they all reminisced about the late Lonnie.
Wanda shared, “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.”
The friends’ annual tradition still continues this year. Jamal recently shared their text exchange, along with the caption, “We are all set for year 6!”
Wanda and Jamal may not be related by blood, but they have become a family who shares everything together through good times and difficult times.
Just as Grandma Wanda said, “Family is more than blood. It’s the people you want to be with.”
Source: Inspire More