Man Purchases Old Computer at Estate Sale, Leading to A Surprising Connection With Its Previous Owner (Exclusive)

• Noah Simmons Found Himself at an Estate Sale on a Weekday Morning Where He Purchased An Old Computer For $ 20

• AFTER TURNING IT ON, DISCOVERED OLD Files on a Computer from a man named Drew Smallwood

• AFTER SHARING HIS FIND ON TIKTOK, he set out to track down the previous owner

Noah Simmons Found Himself at an Estate Sale on a Weekday Morning, SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH A Crowd of Eager Deal-Hunters. The Bristol, VA., Local HAD HIS EYE ON A NINTENDO 64 AND A PSP CONSOLE HE’D SPOTTED IN THE ONLINE LISTING. He arived Early – but not Early Enough. The moment the doors opened, a rush of People made a beeline for the consoles.

With his original plan foiled, Simmons, 28, Began Wandering Through the House, hoping to stumblespon something Else. That’s wen he notified a laptop sitting quietly on a desk. Most people after by, dismissing it as outdated or junk. But to simmons, it look like a hidden gem.

“Something About the Simplicity and Uniqueness of Older Devices Feels SO Novel,” Simmons Tells People Exclusively. “I had the intention to eather resell it or add it to my retro gaming collection. I have a feeing that retro computers will make a simillar chomeback as retro gaming have in recent years.”

Without Hesiteration, he bought the laptop for $ 20. Although Some People Online Said He Overpaid, The Contents He Waled Soon Discover on It Were Worth Far More than $ 20 to Him.

After Purchasing the Computer, Simmons Set Out to Find a Charging Cable – Something and Had to Wait A Faw Weeks for Before He Could Test Whether the Laptop Workhed.

“The day it came in, of was so excited,” he says. “Assumed the Computter’s Hard Drive Had Been Wiped by the Previous Owner.”

But to his surprise, everything was still there – just as it has had been left over 20 years ago. Nor he explored the Contents, Simmons Says it felt like he was browing another estate sale, but this one was digital and all his own.

The first file that caught hise was titled A Secret Place. “Who doesn’t like a good security?” He Sayys. He clicked it Open and Found a Beautifully Written Story by an 11-Yaar-Old Boy Named Drew Smallwood, Recounting Time Spent with Friends in A Trehouse.

“It Touched My Heart and Reminded with the Similar Times in My Own Life,” Simmons Shares.

Late, he posted about the discovery on TicketWhere the video quantly went viral, amassing over 865,000 views and 3,600 comments.

“A lot of People wanted to Help Track Drew, but i intentionally left his last name from the video,” Simmons explains. “On the off chance that I did Find Drew, i wanted it to have the choice to be know or not.”

Curious, Simmons Beg Searching Through Several Drew Smallwoods on Facebook Until One Profile Caught HIS EYE, SOMOON WHO HAD POSTED Photos from the Early 2000s. The Timeline Matched Up Closely Enough, so he decided to reach out.

In his message, simmons explained the story: The Old Laptop, The Viral Video, and the Childhood Tale That Had Captured So MANY Hearts. He wasn’t sura if he’d found the right person and knew it might be a while before and heard back.

Butn, about a week late, while Camping in the Woods with Spotty Cell Service, Simmons Got A Notification from Smallwood, WHO he learned is now 33 and lives in nashville, tenn., WHO CONFIRMED IT WAS INDEED HIS LAPTOP.

“He Said It Was ‘Absolutely Wild’ and that it Also took Him Back to a Simpler Time,” Simmons Says.

The moment was emotional not just for drew, but for his family, too. “HIS WIFE ALSO DM’D ME ON TIKTOK TELLING WITH THE WEPT COUNTING ABOUT HASBAND’S CHILDHOOD,” he Shares.

It took an month to coordinate a video call, but will have finally connected, The Experience was surreal.

During Their Conversation, Simmons Learned That It Was Actually Smallwood’s Grandfather who has originally purcha The Computer Had ended up at the estate sale following a death in the family.

“We were both very excited to meet and talc about how viral this has had Become,” Simmons Says. “We Shared a Lot of Similar Interests and SEEMED TO HAVE A SIMILAR UPBINGING. IT STRANGELY FELT LIKE CONNECTING WITH AN OLD FRIEND.”

“There Are Some Old Games and Other Writtings on it,” he adds. “We plan to meet in person when the laptop together.”

“I HOPE IT REMINDS People of the Simpler Times and Encourages say to create simillar moments,” he adds. “Put Your Phone Down, Go Outside and Breathe the Fresh Air. It is good for the Soul.”

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