Viral ‘Thanksgiving Grandma’ Inspired By ‘Golden Bachelor’
Arizona resident Wanda Dench just wanted to invite her grandson to Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, she found social media fame. Affectionately known as ‘Thanksgiving Grandma,’ Dench accidentally invited a stranger, Jamal Hinton, to her Thanksgiving dinner via text. She had meant to send the invitation to her grandson, but she didn’t realize his number had changed.
Despite the mix-up, Hinton attended Dench’s Thanksgiving dinner and the two formed an unlikely friendship. The tradition has continued years later. Wanda Dench shared some heartbreaking news recently and revealed how The Golden Bachelor inspired her. Keep reading for all the details.
Viral ‘Thanksgiving Grandma’ Shares Heartbreaking News
Thousands, if not millions, of Americans are invested in the unexpected friendship between Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton. The two plan to continue sharing Thanksgiving dinner, but this year, things will look a little different.
Dench sadly lost her husband to COVID several years ago. She shared her own heartbreaking health news on social media this week. The Internet’s honorary grandma has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Wanda Dench Inspired By Golden Bachelor
In a lengthy social media post, Wanda Dench revealed that the diagnosis came earlier this year during a routine CT scan when she was battling bronchitis. She has a family history of cancer, but vowed to fight.
She shared a lesson that she’s learned since the unfortunate health news. “Just because you may be older, we still have a life to live.” She credited the ABC dating show The Golden Bachelor for giving her hope that she can find love again in her senior years.
Gerry Turner was the network’s first Golden Bachelor in 2023. He found love with Theresa Nist, though it was short-lived. The two divorced in April 2024, just three months after tying the knot in a televised ceremony.
Bachelor Nation Fans React
Wanda Dench’s shout-out to The Golden Bachelor was posted on Reddit. Check out some of the responses:
- “i love the story of this woman and bringing that young man into her life. sad to hear she has cancer”
- “The photos of them together every Thanksgiving make me ugly cry. People like her, who are decent to strangers and young people deserve the world, not cancer. I was so sad to see her husband passed a few years ago, but I love that she still includes him in their yearly photo. I hope she does get a chance to find love again”
- “I love this wholesome story but so sad to hear she has cancer”
- “I love their story and how one wrong text led to years of a “found family” relationship. She lost her husband to Covid a few years back. I hope Wanda has many years to come.”
- “I hope the universe has another fun and loving connection for her! I love their found family and am sending her love for her healing!”
- “That’s one of my favorite viral stories ever”
One Redditor even suggested Wanda Dench as the next Golden Bachelorette with the comment, “CASTING – Get on this.” Do you find the Golden Bachelor and Golden Bachelorette spinoffs encouraging about finding love later in life?
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