At 79 years old, Craig Clark may jokingly call himself “the oldest computer technician in America,” but to the hundreds of families he’s helped, he’s simply known as the Tech Fairy who grants digital wishes to those who need them most. What started eight years ago as a simple idea to refurbish old laptops that customers no longer wanted has grown into a heartwarming mission that has provided over 700 rebuilt computers to people who couldn’t afford them in the Sarasota, Florida area. Craig discovered the power of community connection through the Nextdoor app, where he began posting pictures of smiling recipients with their “new” laptops, and somehow the “Tech Fairy” brand was born in what he calls “a stroke of genius.”
The retired 7-Eleven executive, who once made good money from the efforts of minimum-wage store employees, now spends his own funds installing new hard drives and batteries into donated devices because he believes in giving back to the hardworking people he once managed. His generosity has caught national attention, including a 2022 appearance on Good Morning America with a family whose four children now call him “Grandpa Craig,” a nickname that still brings him to tears. Whether he’s helping women recovering from addiction start new lives or supporting fast food workers pursue their dreams, Craig’s work proves that one person’s discarded technology can become another person’s gateway to opportunity. As he humbly reminds everyone, “I get a lot of credit for this project but I never forget that this effort is possible only because of the selfless folks who donate their used devices to me, it’s a true community project.”