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Jerry Neal is going through the wreckage of what was once his home in Cambridge Shores, in southern Kentucky.

He picks up some Christmas decorations - two Father Christmas tree baubles and blue beads. "The heart's gone out of Christmas," he says.

Things have not been the same since his mother moved into a nursing home last year, he says. It was just him and his elderly father in the house.

"My mom designed this decades ago, she went back and forth with designers, she kept changing things, making them go crazy," he laughs. "Mom got the house she wanted. It was beautiful and now it's trash."

There are no plans to tell her what happened. "She's 85 years old. She has dementia and it would break her heart."

Mr Neal and his father managed to escape in the dead of night from the house when dark funnel clouds hurtled through on Friday night.

There were more than 30 tornados but one tore a straight path for 227 miles (365km), in what is thought to be the longest path a tornado has ever taken in US history.

Kentucky's governor, Andy Beshear, says the death toll in the state, which was the hardest hit, is expected to pass 100.

Mr Neal and his father are now taking shelter in a nearby church - many have opened their doors for survivors.

There is a curfew in place so they have returned to make use of the daylight hours and see what they can salvage, including medication, rifles and a safe full of money.

The family's pick-up trucks are buried beneath the roof of the house. Their boat was discovered in the tree.

Mr Neal's father is fragile, he walks out of the back of the house tentatively with a crutch. He gives a small smile when he proudly holds up a white antique knife. It is a precious memory as his own father gave it to him many years ago.

His friends have found pictures of what his house used to look like. His voice cracks a bit as he holds the photos in his hand.

"It's a damn shame," he sighs looking up at the wreckage and back at the pictures. "It's a beautiful home. Maybe it will be again some day."