Viral Grandma and Jamal Hinton Spend Thanksgiving Apart for First Time in 9 Years Amid Breast Cancer Diagnosis

The former strangers, who met eight years ago in a mistaken text message exchange, reunited to for Turkey Day — and things looked a little different this year.

Dench joined Hinton and his family on Instagram Live instead, amid her continued battle with breast cancer.

The Thanksgiving celebration comes just 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 on their unexpected friendship and how it has positively shaped their lives, Dench shared that a CT scan for bronchitis uncovered a mass in her breast, leading to a diagnosis of breast cancer after further testing.

Dench also shared her surprise over the 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 in the message shared to Hinton’s socials.

While the diagnosis initially shocked her, Dench said she’s been connected with “wonderful people” throughout her treatment. She also urged others to make regular checkups a priority, and to cherish life.

“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 in the Oct. 16 post. “So continue getting your checkups, and continue to live YOUR life!”

Hinton teased the reunion in a post Monday, sharing 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 pair’s unanticipated 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.”

Hinton and Dench quickly became friends and their story subsequently went viral, with the pair spending every Thanksgiving together since.

They’ve also weathered some hardships along the way, including the death of Dench’s husband, Lonnie in 2020, who died after suffering complications from COVID-19.

In 2021, Netflix announced it would make a film, The Thanksgiving Text, about their unique bond.

Though the film has yet to drop, the streamer says the movie will highlight their deep friendship, despite their differences, and their unlikely connection, all thanks to the text mix-up.

“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.”