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Grandmother, teen who met after accidental Thanksgiving invite are getting a Netflix film

In 2016, Wanda Dench sent a text to Jamal Hinton, 17, that would start a six-year tradition

El logotipo de Netflix en Pars, el 4 de noviembre de 2017. (AP Foto/Christophe Ena, File) (Christophe Ena, Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A six-year Thanksgiving tradition between an Arizona grandmother and a teen who received an accidental text is now getting a Netflix movie.

Netflix announced Thursday that it will be turning the story of Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton into a feature film.

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The two met in 2016 when Dench texted a Thanksgiving invite to her grandson. Instead, she mistakenly texted 17-year-old Jamal Hinton, inviting him over for Thanksgiving dinner, according to the Huffington Post.

Hinton asked Dench to send him a selfie and when she did, Hinton sent one back letting her know he was not her grandson.

That didn’t stop Dench, who still invited him over for Thanksgiving dinner. Hinton showed up, and he snapped a picture with the whole family, sharing it on social media.

It quickly became a viral hit with thousands of likes and shares.

The now 22-year-old Hinton has spent six Thanksgivings with Dench, each year sharing a selfie on social media to commemorate their tradition.

Netflix says they are excited to turn a story about “the family you choose” into a feature film.

More on KSAT:

Grandmother, teen who met after accidental text now celebrating 6th Thanksgiving together


About the Author
Emily Martin headshot

Emily Martin is the KSAT Insider Membership Producer. She earned a journalism degree from Texas State University, where she was news director at KTSW, the campus radio station. She has also interned at KXAN and KUT in Austin.

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