Noah Simmons found himself at an estate sale on a weekday morning where he purchased an old computer for $20
After turning it on, he 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 arrived 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 stumble upon something else. That’s when he noticed a laptop sitting quietly on a desk. Most people passed it by, dismissing it as outdated or junk. But to Simmons, it looked 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 either resell it or add it to my retro gaming collection. I have a feeling that retro computers will make a similar comeback as retro gaming consoles have in recent years.”
Without hesitation, he bought the laptop for $20. Although some people online said he overpaid, the contents he would soon discover on it were worth far more than $20 to him.
Noah Simmons
Closeup of the computer
After purchasing the computer, Simmons set out to find a charging cable — something he had to wait a few weeks for before he could test whether the laptop still worked.
“The day it came in, I was so excited,” he says. “I assumed the computer’s hard drive had been wiped by the previous owner.”
But to his surprise, everything was still there — just as it had been left over 20 years ago. As he explored the contents, Simmons says it felt like he was browsing another estate sale, but this one was digital and all his own.
The first file that caught his eye was titled A Secret Place. “Who doesn’t like a good secret?” he says. He clicked it open and found a beautifully written story by an 11-year-old boy named Drew Smallwood, recounting time spent with friends in a treehouse.
“It touched my heart and reminded me of similar times in my own life,” Simmons shares.
Later, he posted about the discovery on TikTok, where the video quickly went viral, amassing over 865,000 views and 3,600 comments.
“A lot of people wanted to help track down Drew, but I intentionally left out his last name from the video,” Simmons explains. “On the off chance that I did find Drew, I wanted him to have the choice to be known or not.”
Curious, Simmons began searching through several Drew Smallwoods on Facebook until one profile caught his eye, someone 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 sure if he’d found the right person and knew it might be a while before he heard back.
Noah Simmons
Noah Simmons holding up the computer
But then, about a week later, 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 me she wept while hearing about her husband’s childhood,” he shares.
Noah Simmons
Closeup of the story from Drew Smallwood
It took about a month to coordinate a video call, but when they finally connected, the experience was surreal.
During their conversation, Simmons learned that it was actually Smallwood’s grandfather who had originally purchased the laptop, though Drew eventually adopted it as his own. The computer had ended up at the estate sale following a death in the family.
“We were both very excited to meet and talk about how viral this had become,” Simmons says. “We shared a lot of similar interests and seemed to have a similar upbringing. It strangely felt like connecting with an old friend.”
“There are some old games and other writings on it,” he adds. “We plan to meet in person sometime and go through the laptop together.”
“I hope it reminds people of simpler times and encourages them to create similar moments,” he adds. “Put your phone down, go outside and breathe the fresh air. It’s good for the soul.”
Read the original article on People
