Everything that used to be Susan Robert’s house at Highway BB at Missouri 43 is now littered across its backyard. In the front yard on Monday were television stations’ satellite trucks from Kansas City, St Louis, Tulsa and Springfield.

As reporters searched for stories, Roberts searched for the stories of her life, piece by piece.

“Pictures are all I want,” she said.

This was the second day that Roberts lifted, peeled and hoped to find memories.

“Stuff that's you, stuff you save, it's all gone, too,” she said.

She also found pictures that made her cry.

Just finding a cotton shirt was like unearthing a gold nugget. A little later, she made another hit.

“I collect unicorns,” she said. “There’s not much left but I'm keeping it.”

Fighting little sleep, Roberts was scared to take a break, fearing the wind may take away even more.

“God answered my prayers, my mother made this for me, and she's passed away,” she said, picking up a crocheted picture of a horse.

But just as soon as the trail gets hot, it cools off again.

“It’s hard to give up,” said Roberts.

Something that Roberts says she'll never forget is the woman who came to her door warning of the tornado. Roberts was able to leave in one car; the woman took shelter in another one of her cars, and didn't make it out of the storm.