{"id":429031,"date":"2025-12-01T20:00:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T19:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/?p=429031"},"modified":"2025-12-01T20:00:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T19:00:47","slug":"elle-se-trompe-numero-telephone-thanksgiving-cree-amitie-improbable-depuis-10-ans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/shes-got-the-phone-number-wrong-thanksgiving-created-an-unlikely-friendship-10-years-ago-429031","title":{"rendered":"She dials the wrong phone number for Thanksgiving\u2026 and forges an unlikely friendship that has lasted 10 years."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In 2016, Wanda Dench, a grandmother from Arizona, mistakenly sent a Thanksgiving invitation text message to Jamal Hinton, a 17-year-old teenager, instead of her grandson. Touched by his playful reply, she welcomed him to the table, sealing a friendship that has now lasted 10 years.<\/p>\n<h2> The mistake that changed everything<\/h2>\n<p> Wanda Dench texted the wrong number and received this reply from Jamal Hinton: <em>&quot;Who are you?&quot;<\/em> She responded, <em>&quot;Your grandmother!&quot;<\/em> along with a selfie. Jamal Hinton then sent his own: <em>&quot;You&#39;re not my grandmother, but can I come anyway?&quot;<\/em> She accepted, true to the spirit of grandmothers who feed everyone. What could have remained a simple anecdote became a tradition: every year, Jamal returns to share Thanksgiving dinner with Wanda and her family.<\/p>\n<h2> An immediate and lasting connection<\/h2>\n<p> During their first Thanksgiving meal, the connection between the septuagenarian and the teenager was instant. Despite Wanda&#39;s illness (breast cancer) and the loss of her husband, they met every Thanksgiving, sharing meals, games, and gratitude around the family table. Their chance encounter blossomed into a genuine friendship, celebrated by millions of internet users moved by this story of unexpected kindness and a bond forged by chance.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"> Happy Thanksgiving\u203c\ufe0f\u203c\ufe0f2016-2026 \ud83c\udfac10 Years later\u203c\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/24iJ1Ixuwp\">pic.twitter.com\/24iJ1Ixuwp<\/a><\/p>\n<p> \u2014 Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jamalhinton12\/status\/1994203381712212352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 28, 2025<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2> A tradition that inspires the world<\/h2>\n<p> Jamal posts their reunion annually on X (formerly Twitter), touching millions of people: <em>&quot;It&#39;s destiny,&quot;<\/em> Wanda confides. Even virtually during her chemotherapy, their bond persists, organizing calls and keeping alive the flame of a friendship born from a chance phone call. Over time, their story becomes a symbol of hope: that kindness can arise at any moment, even from a message sent by mistake. And every year, when Thanksgiving rolls around, their photo side by side reminds the world that family can also choose itself.<\/p>\n<h2> Beyond a simple viral anecdote<\/h2>\n<p> This story transcends social media: Wanda gets a tattoo with Jamal&#39;s help, while he becomes a basketball coach and host. Their genuine friendship, a symbol of unity in a divided world, is even the subject of a Netflix film in development. And while their daily lives evolve, one thing remains: this silent promise to stay there for each other. Every photo, every shared laugh serves as a reminder that some connections owe nothing to blood, but everything to kindness and chance. A simple wrong number that, years later, continues to inspire those who still dream of unexpected and profoundly human connections.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\"> Happy Thanksgiving from MY FAMILY to yours \ud83d\udc9eWe are all wishing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dench_wanda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@dench_wanda<\/a> a fast healthy recovery. Year 9 didn&#39;t go as planned but we will be back better than ever for YEAR 10. See you guys next year! \ud83e\udd83\ud83c\udfe1\u2764\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GjHfb6hCE0\">pic.twitter.com\/GjHfb6hCE0<\/a><\/p>\n<p> \u2014 Jamal Hinton (@Jamalhinton12) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Jamalhinton12\/status\/1862352236103258304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 29, 2024<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In short, a simple text message sent to the wrong number sparked a bond that defies time, hardship, and generational differences. Ten years later, Wanda and Jamal prove that a seemingly insignificant gesture can open the door to a deep friendship, capable of warming hearts as much as any holiday meal. Their story reminds us that the most beautiful encounters sometimes arise where we least expect them\u2014and that Thanksgiving, ultimately, celebrates chance as much as gratitude.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In 2016, Wanda Dench, a grandmother from Arizona, mistakenly sent a Thanksgiving invitation text message to Jamal Hinton,...","protected":false},"author":8375,"featured_media":429036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5678],"tags":[97759],"class_list":["post-429031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-societe","tag-news"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/@Jamalhinton12-_-X-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/@Jamalhinton12-_-X-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/@Jamalhinton12-_-X.jpg","author":{"name":"Fabienne Baure","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/fabienne_baure-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5678,"name":"Society","slug":"societe","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5846,"taxonomy":"category","description":"<p>The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n<h2>What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feminism<\/strong>: everyday sexism, gender-based violence, work, the domestic load and women\u2019s rights around the world, all gathered in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/feminisme\">Feminism<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fatphobia<\/strong>: discrimination against fat people at work, at the doctor\u2019s office and in the media, and ways to stand up to it, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\">Fatphobia<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGBTQIA+<\/strong>: sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/lgbtqia\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty standards<\/strong>: where physical ideals come from, how they vary across countries and eras, and what they cost women.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relationships and social ties<\/strong>: friendship, loneliness, bonds between generations and new ways of living together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women who break stereotypes<\/strong>: women making their mark in mechanics, science, sports or on stage, like the physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-a-young-physicist-could-revolutionize-science-432830\">Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski<\/a>, in fields where few expected them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n<p>Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/heres-how-beauty-standards-change-in-different-countries-429750\">how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n<p>If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Save screenshots, messages, dates and the names of any witnesses.<\/li>\n<li>For discrimination in hiring, housing or access to a service, contact the equality or human rights agency in your country, a union or a lawyer.<\/li>\n<li>For illegal content online, report it to the platform and to the authorities in your country.<\/li>\n<li>If you have been threatened or targeted by a crime, you can file a report with the police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n<p>Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n<h2>Articles to start with<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\/fatphobic-remarks-surely-said-without-knowing-430954\">fatphobic phrases many people say without realizing it<\/a>, and what they really imply.<\/li>\n<li>A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/would-you-be-considered-the-norm-elsewhere-here-are-average-sizes-and-weights-in-the-world-429930\">average heights and weights around the world<\/a>, a useful reminder that \u201cnormal\u201d depends on where you live.<\/li>\n<li>What to do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/what-to-do-when-a-colleague-appropriates-an-idea-at-work-447182\">a coworker takes credit for your idea<\/a> at work.<\/li>\n<li>How to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/how-to-set-boundaries-in-the-face-of-unsolicited-advances-at-work-447161\">set boundaries with unwanted advances at work<\/a>, calmly and clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Whether women still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/womens-work-applying-makeup-to-look-professional-446904\">have to wear makeup to look \u201cprofessional\u201d<\/a>, and what that expectation says about workplace norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n<p>Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n<h3>What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n<p>Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n<h3>What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n<p>Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n<p>Want to go further? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/culture\">Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/psycho\">Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":1539,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5678,"category_count":1539,"category_description":"<p>The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n<h2>What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feminism<\/strong>: everyday sexism, gender-based violence, work, the domestic load and women\u2019s rights around the world, all gathered in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/feminisme\">Feminism<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fatphobia<\/strong>: discrimination against fat people at work, at the doctor\u2019s office and in the media, and ways to stand up to it, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\">Fatphobia<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGBTQIA+<\/strong>: sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/lgbtqia\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty standards<\/strong>: where physical ideals come from, how they vary across countries and eras, and what they cost women.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relationships and social ties<\/strong>: friendship, loneliness, bonds between generations and new ways of living together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women who break stereotypes<\/strong>: women making their mark in mechanics, science, sports or on stage, like the physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-a-young-physicist-could-revolutionize-science-432830\">Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski<\/a>, in fields where few expected them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n<p>Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/heres-how-beauty-standards-change-in-different-countries-429750\">how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n<p>If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Save screenshots, messages, dates and the names of any witnesses.<\/li>\n<li>For discrimination in hiring, housing or access to a service, contact the equality or human rights agency in your country, a union or a lawyer.<\/li>\n<li>For illegal content online, report it to the platform and to the authorities in your country.<\/li>\n<li>If you have been threatened or targeted by a crime, you can file a report with the police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n<p>Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n<h2>Articles to start with<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\/fatphobic-remarks-surely-said-without-knowing-430954\">fatphobic phrases many people say without realizing it<\/a>, and what they really imply.<\/li>\n<li>A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/would-you-be-considered-the-norm-elsewhere-here-are-average-sizes-and-weights-in-the-world-429930\">average heights and weights around the world<\/a>, a useful reminder that \u201cnormal\u201d depends on where you live.<\/li>\n<li>What to do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/what-to-do-when-a-colleague-appropriates-an-idea-at-work-447182\">a coworker takes credit for your idea<\/a> at work.<\/li>\n<li>How to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/how-to-set-boundaries-in-the-face-of-unsolicited-advances-at-work-447161\">set boundaries with unwanted advances at work<\/a>, calmly and clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Whether women still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/womens-work-applying-makeup-to-look-professional-446904\">have to wear makeup to look \u201cprofessional\u201d<\/a>, and what that expectation says about workplace norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n<p>Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n<h3>What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n<p>Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n<h3>What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n<p>Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n<p>Want to go further? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/culture\">Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/psycho\">Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","cat_name":"Society","category_nicename":"societe","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8375"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=429031"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":429092,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429031\/revisions\/429092"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/429036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=429031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=429031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=429031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}