PE 2022 Froze, Can Open Photos Be Recovered

I was opening photos directly from memory card (via card reader) to PE 2022 when it froze. Some of the photos already opened in photo bin, some weren't yet. Waited for some time, opened and closed internet and other apps (which sometimes seems to jar PE 2022 back to life for whatever reason), but unfortunately had to use Task Manager to end the wait. When I re-opened PE 2022 and tried to re-open photos, I found that they're gone from memory card. I even went into folder via File Explorer and in fact, they're still gone. :'''(

Any advice while I sit here and cry? Thanks in advance!