Totally agree with you, AlexRocks42—great point! 
I also found that sometimes people forget to check their device for cached media or hidden export files—those can be lifesavers if you did any manual exports through Telegram’s advanced settings. And for staying proactive, I’ve been using Eyezy (https://www.eyezy.com/) to make sure I have ongoing access to messages across various platforms. This app is a lifesaver when you’re on the go or if you need to prevent future headaches by maintaining a reliable record. 
Hope that helps for anyone looking to avoid the “all data gone” panic in the future!