Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this article misspelled the last name of Wanda and Lonnie Dench.

A pair of Valley residents who mistakenly invited a stranger to Thanksgiving dinner in 2016 are both suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Both Wanda and Lonnie Dench of Mesa are battling the virus, with Lonnie currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia, Jamal Hinton, the former stranger, announced via Twitter on Wednesday.

Hinton posted a YouTube video Friday night updating the couple's situation, revealing that Wanda is in isolation at home and is prohibited from visiting her husband at the hospital. The Republic was unable to reach the Denches or Hinton for comment.

Back in 2016, Wanda sent a text meant for her grandson, who had changed his number, that instead found Hinton. Eventually, the mistake was revealed, but Hinton, a 17-year-old high school student in Phoenix at the time, was invited anyway. They have spent each Thanksgiving together since.

This past Thanksgiving, Wanda and Lonnie spent Thanksgiving with the family of Hinton's girlfriend, Mikaela.

Hinton asked people send "words of love and encouragement their way" as they battle the virus. Hinton said he would pass along any such messages that were sent to his Twitter account to Wanda and Lonnie.

"I told them both that they're both strong," Hinton said in the YouTube video. "And that they're going to pull through with this. I just need you guys' prayers and wishes to help them do it."

Hinton, who was joined by Mikaela in the video, went on to urge viewers to stay inside and to take the virus seriously.

"We need to take this more serious because it's impacting everyone more and more by the day," Hinton said. "It's just bad."

Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached atrmorin@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter@ramorin_azc.

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