Hello @Melodic_Coast2463,
Thanks for confirming. If Illustrator is unable to recover the file after relaunching, it is likely that the file is lost. We understand this may not be the ideal outcome, and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Storing files on an external/network drive or a cloud-synced folder can sometimes lead to corruption issues. To prevent this from happening in the future, we recommend saving your work locally first and then manually copying it to your desired backup location or saving it as a cloud document and keeping multiple copies of your active work.
For help with crashes, please try the suggestions shared in this help article (https://adobe.ly/4jaMpDb) and let us know how it goes.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions or require assistance. We're here to help.
Anubhav