What irreplaceable items did Mary lose during Hurricane Helene and why were they so significant to her?

During Hurricane Helene, Mary lost her home of nearly 40 years and all her precious mementos, but the most devastating loss was photos of her late son Tommy, who had passed away when he was only 12 years old. These photos were irreplaceable physical memories of her child who was no longer with her. As Mary describes the moment she learned her house was gone, her immediate thought was "there goes everything I had in Tommy." The devastation of losing these mementos highlights how physical photographs can be crucial connections to loved ones we've lost, representing memories that cannot be recreated.