When I was a kid, like, 3 years old, I reached my hand out and touched a hot stove. Burned my hand quite badly.

A simple truth of life is that people learn that fire burns by getting burned. There is no other way to learn this simple fact of nature. We're not equipped for it.

Backups are a similar lesson. Sometimes, you get burned quite badly.

Folks, follow the 321 rule in all things important to you:

3 complete sets of backups.
2 types of media used to hold them.
1 of them located offsite.

If you're going to argue the cost and difficulty, then you have no burn scars. This is not optional. It is a requirement for things you care about.

Also, if Dennis does manage to obtain his data, then I'd be happy to help him transfer it to another platform. Obviously, I'd suggest a WordPress.org based site on a better host. ;)