Do It Scared: A Drifter Campervan Owner Story

By Sunny Lane | The Drift

Some people plan their way into vanlife. Spreadsheets. Timelines. Years of research.

Heather Sossoman didn't have that kind of time.

The Moment Everything Shifted

"The last ten years of my life have been really hard," Heather tells me. "Raising three kids on my own, carrying that weight—and then I lost my younger brother suddenly."

She pauses.

"That loss completely altered my perspective. The reality that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow hit home in a real way."

For Heather, grief didn't lead to retreat. It led to a promise.

"I decided I wasn't going to wait. I was going to do what I promised him—live a life big enough for the both of us."

And a van seemed like the best way to do that.

Meet Lucy

Heather's Drifter is named Lucy. And if you follow along at @lifewithlucy74, you'll see the two of them covering serious ground together.

Her first destination after picking up Lucy? The Outer Banks of North Carolina.

But that was just the beginning.

"I have always loved to travel, but a few weeks here and there wasn't enough," Heather explains. "I wanted to take my time exploring as many National Parks and State Parks as I could. Slowly. Not rushing through a week-long vacation—actually experiencing it."

Now she's a full-time traveler. Solo. Following the seasons, the landscapes, and her own curiosity.

From Big Cities to Big Skies

Heather spent most of her life in big cities. Her goal on the road? The opposite.

"Nature. That's what I'm chasing. The beach, lakes, desert, mountains—I've loved them all. And I have so much more to see."

She talks about pulling into a new park and just sitting with it. The awe. The quiet. The scale of something bigger than the day-to-day.

"Each time I make my way somewhere new, I'm just in awe of the beauty."

Learning to Follow Joy

Since hitting the road, Heather has learned to paddleboard. Her hiking skills have grown tremendously. But it's more than new hobbies—it's a shift in how she moves through the world.

"I have never had the time or ability to just follow my own passions and joys," she says. "Lucy has given me the time and space to do that."

There's something in the way she says it. Not boastful. Just true.

Do It Scared

When I ask Heather what she'd want other people to know—people sitting on the edge of a big decision—she doesn't hesitate.

"Since I picked up my van, I've adopted 'Do It Scared' as my life motto."

She continues: "We are never going to feel completely confident in trying something new, making a big change, or chasing a goal. And that's okay. It just means we have to do it scared—because we only get one shot at this beautiful life."

Follow Heather and Lucy's journey at @lifewithlucy74 or lifewlucy.com.

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