[3] Before diving full-time, Sides was a metal detectorist as a hobby, searching for American Civil War relics and other lost items around his hometown.

[2][3] When Sides started a metal detectorist YouTube channel in 2016, friends at work gave him the nickname Nug, joking that he was looking for gold.

[5] [6] In October 2021, Sides assisted the Adventures with Purpose team while they found the truck owned by Thomas Thornton, a missing Vietnam War veteran from Tyler County, Texas.

[11] In February 2022, Sides assisted Adventures with Purpose while they found the car owned by Margaret Shupe Smith, who had been missing since April 2021.

Sides made YouTube videos crediting their finds as well as graciously hosting a GoFundMe fundraising campaign for his fellow Sonar Search Colleagues, raising just over $3500 to be split between the 2 Orgs.