On Sunday, in the wake of the deadly tornado, there were countless stories of survival.

“We were not at the house, we were in Joplin,” said Jim Onstot, 4310 Hwy. BB. “But we had three dogs that were here. They all came back. We even found one in some debris.”

While in Joplin, they heard about the tornado’s damage on the TV news.

“They said that there was some considerable structure damage at Missouri Highway 43 and Route BB which is (around here),” Onstot said. “So we thought that we would get in the car and come out.”

They actually had to drive in the field from a neighbor’s house to get to their two-story house, which they have lived in for 21 years.

Over the years, the area has been hit with ice storms, thunderstorms, high winds and other forces of nature. Asked if this was the worst, he said “observably.”

“When we were driving down here, the house stood out for 21 years, but apparently a tornado of that size…Lant’s Feed is completely leveled. There is a combine that is in the ditch…there was a lady missing…apparently most of the damage was across Highway 43 (going to Hornet),” said Onstot.

With the sun shining, cleanup at the Onstot place went on.

“We found most of the pictures that we wanted to,” Onstot said. “It is not like a fire, and it is not very wet,. All of your (stuff) is on the ground, and we have got to pick it up.”

One of the items found outside of the home was a very useful item.

“We were laughin that the toilet upstairs is out here in the field on the other side of that truck (pointing to the southeast part of his property),” Onstot said. “We got stuff inside. The kitchen is pretty much intact. There is a big piece of sheet metal that came off of Lant’s place that came in (to the house). We have got some antiques that were te wife’s grandmother’s that we probably lost. There are some things that can’t be replaced, but it will be all right.”

On Saturday, Miriam Vaughan of Michigan came in for Mother’s Day. Hours later, she got a call from her husband, Chris.

“My husband called me while I was at Olive Garden and he said, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this, but mom’s (Betty Geary) house is gone’,” said Vaughan. “So I quickly finished up and came down here last night (Saturday).”

Luckily, no one was home when the tornado hit the house, located just across from Lant’s Feed on Hwy. 43.

“No injures with our family, thank God,” Vaughan said. “He is the one that has kept everyone safe. Items can be replaced, people can’t.”

Family and friends were seen in the field behind Geary’s house looking for items.

They found clothing and other items.

“Mom’s famous garden is gone. She had things up, it is gone, potatoes up, squash, but that is the least of our concerns,” added Lesa Lankford, Vaughan’s sister.

Located a few miles away from Lant’s Feed to the east was the home of Malinda Gonzalez, 6039 Iris Road, and her parents’ home, Peggy and Ronald Cotten.

“This barn right here had a lean-to, which was open to the east,” said Gonzalez. “My parents and two sons (Oliver and Silas) and my youngest brother got in just as the wind hit. It blew the barn over toward the west and then we were out in the open air. The two trucks got pushed by the wind. We stayed where the barn had been until hail started and we ran to behind the trucks because the hail was coming from the north, we ducked down by the trucks. My mom got into the trucks with my two sons to keep them out of the hail.”

“Everyone is alright, we are alive,” Peggy Cotten said looking at the property. “That is all that matters. This is material things, it doesn’t matter. We plan on rebuilding. We have got to have a place to live.”

The family has been on the property for 14 years.

“We had no clue, we have no TV, we were working in the yard and it came up quick,” added Cotten. “We were all praying.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Cotten said thanks.

“I am glad that it is over,” Cotten said.