Mistaken text leads to a decade-long Thanksgiving tradition for Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton

PHOENIX — Ten years ago, a mistaken text message turned into a Thanksgiving tradition.

In 2016, Wanda Dench accidentally texted high schooler Jamal Hinton, thinking she was messaging her grandson. Hinton told her she had the wrong number, then asked if he could still get a plate. Dench said yes. They’ve shared Thanksgiving that year, and every year since.

A decade later, they are still getting together, and people are still following their story.

“You know, that dumbfounds me,” Dench said. “I’ve said many a time, the first year I kind of get it. For regular people like us, you get 15 minutes of fame in the news.”

“But for the media to keep coming every year, want to interview us and find out what we're up to and doing, and we're doing the same thing all the time. It still surprises me,