Verbal Promise

My mother moved from Indiana to Colorado she even sold her home to take care of her best friend who was diagnosed with cancer. Her best friend has a large estate and has verbally told my mother and many others that this one house is to be hers so my mom moved in. A year and half later my mom's best friend past away not but an hour before the wake the executor tells my mom she has to move out of the house. The will does not state that my mom receives the house so she has to move but this will take time, can the executor just come over and kick her out and not give my mom her stuff? Since my mom has no tenant contract but has lived there for almost 2 years what rights does she have? My mom and the beneficiaries will be contesting the will but what can my mom do now to protect herself?