Some promises are harder to keep than others. On his deathbed, Lisa Vidler's husband asked her for one: that she would still live – not just exist, but truly live – for their daughter.

"On my husband's deathbed, he made me promise that I would still live – that I would live for our daughter and not just exist," Lisa says. It's the kind of promise that sounds simple until you're the one trying to keep it, in the middle of grief, with an 11-year-old daughter watching how you handle it.

For Lisa, camping had always been part of family life. But after losing her husband to cancer, the thought of pitching their old ground tent alone felt completely overwhelming. "I almost gave up on camping entirely," she says.

Why a camper van wasn't the answer – and a rooftop tent was

A camper van was out of reach financially. A ground tent, on her own, felt like more than she could manage. Lisa was caught between wanting to keep her promise and genuinely fearing she couldn't – worried about being stranded, or simply not being able to handle it alone.

That's when she found a TentBox. She chose the Lite XL, paired with Ladder Steps – a setup built around exactly the thing she needed most: something she could open completely by herself, in minutes, without needing anyone else there to help.

It's a small mechanical detail with an outsized effect. For a lot of people, a rooftop tent is about convenience. For Lisa, it was about independence – proof that she genuinely could do this on her own.

From overwhelmed to unstoppable

Four years' worth of doubt didn't disappear overnight, but the TentBox gave Lisa something to build confidence on. Trips that once felt impossible became spontaneous and ordinary. Weekends in the UK. A trip across to France. Her daughter, her mum, and their 30kg golden retriever Nala – who, Lisa notes with obvious affection, happily skips up the ladder steps for treats – have all become regular travelling companions.

What started as a way to keep a promise has become something bigger: a way of life that Lisa built for herself and her daughter, on her own terms.

The moments that actually matter

Ask Lisa what she's learned since that first trip, and she doesn't talk about gear or logistics. She talks about what her daughter will actually remember. "Children don't tend to remember the 'stuff' – they remember the experiences, and those memories will stay with them and you forever," she says. "We've laughed, we've cried, but there's always a story behind each adventure."

A message for anyone waiting for someone else to go with

Lisa's story carries a message that goes beyond camping. She wants other women, in particular, to know they don't have to wait for someone else to feel strong enough to go. "Do it!" she says. "If you love the outdoors, coming together with friends or family, or even just finding yourself, this is the most convenient way of doing that... Go chase those sunsets or the stars!"

Four years after the promise she made on her husband's deathbed, Lisa isn't just keeping it. She's living it – one spontaneous trip at a time, with her daughter beside her.