Additional Coverage:
- I lived in a camper van outside my grandfather’s home to help him feel less lonely. The move also helped me grow. (businessinsider.com)
From Long COVID to Camper Life: One Woman’s Journey to Independence (and a Surprise Romance!)
A local woman’s unconventional living arrangement provided not only a unique solution to her post-illness recovery but also brought her closer to family and reignited her dating life.
After a year-long battle with long COVID left her feeling adrift and back in her childhood home, Kate Benson found herself at a crossroads. Her health was improving, but her confidence, and her sense of independence, had taken a significant hit. Meanwhile, her grandfather, living in a rural area, was grappling with loneliness after losing his wife and dog the previous year.
That’s when an innovative idea sparked: Benson decided to move into a camper van parked right outside her grandfather’s home.
“To some extent, I was being ridiculous,” Benson admitted, acknowledging the comfort of her parents’ home. “But what I really needed at that point was independence.”
She sought to prove to herself that she could live separately and manage her daily life, even with lingering symptoms. The arrangement also offered a solution to her grandfather’s increasing isolation.
Despite initial skepticism from family, Benson embraced her “tiny house” adventure as autumn began. She personalized the camper to make it feel like home, accepting the minor inconveniences, like a finicky gas system that required electric heaters. “Life felt like mine again,” she shared.
The move proved to be mutually beneficial. Benson’s grandfather, no longer alone, found renewed companionship. “Every morning, he would come out and knock on the caravan door to say hi and check I was OK,” Benson recounted, adding that her grandfather even told her father they were becoming “close friends.”
For Benson, the newfound independence in her camper sparked a surprising resurgence in her dating life. After nearly two years of avoiding romance due to anxiety and illness, she found herself back on dating apps with a fresh sense of confidence.
However, the unconventional living situation wasn’t without its humorous challenges. A family-installed Ring camera, meant for her grandfather’s safety, directly faced the camper. Benson, in a moment of newfound romantic zeal, inadvertently brought a date past the camera, triggering a notification to her entire family – a moment of panic and swift deactivation of the device.
Despite the occasional lack of privacy, Benson credits her three months in the camper with strengthening her bond with her grandfather and helping her “find my footing again.” It was a journey that began with a challenging illness but ultimately led to independence, reconnection, and a renewed zest for life.