I'm not surprised people fail to backup there data. I'm a little surprised when they take their anger out on the IT guy who can't recover said data. I wonder how many people on a daily basis lose years of pictures and video because they don't backup their data.
I backup up important data on a fairly regular basis but I'm always paranoid its not enough. In my experience, hard drives (mechanical ones anyway...I don't have enough experience with SSDs yet to say) are one of the most common components to fail (followed by power supplies and then fans).
I try to keep an offsite backup too but I know I don't update that nearly often enough...
RE: SOME PEOPLE NEVER CHANGE.. DON'T BE ONE OF THOSE!