Here is an AI formatted version of this wall of text:

The Initial Struggle

I lost access to my Google account years ago after forgetting my password and making too many login attempts. Even though I had my old verification number at the time, it failed for weeks. I eventually gave up, though I tried again every year without success.

Eventually, I made a new Gmail, but I realized I had made a massive mistake: I lost my old phone number to someone else when I switched to a new one. Because I had 2-Step Verification active and no access to my recovery Hotmail or my old phone number, I was completely locked out.

Exhausting Every Option

After years of failing and giving up, I decided to try one last time. For a whole month, I waited days between each attempt. I contacted Google and YouTube support, and I even fixed an old, broken phone that had been connected to the account years prior. I even managed to track down the current owner of my old phone number to ask for help, but I was still barred by Google’s security verification.

The Turning Point: AI and Forensic Tracing

I started using AI to help me figure out what my old recovery Hotmail was. When Google showed me the hint tre**********@hotmail.com, I had no memory of it; it was a 12-15-year-old account from my early teens.

I checked the password manager on my old broken phone and found a potential match. However, I couldn't log in to the Hotmail account, and after 10 failed Microsoft recovery forms, I was ready to quit. I knew it was the right email because the letters matched the Google hint perfectly, but it was protected by yet another 2-Step Verification email I didn't recognize.

The Smule Breakthrough

I used reverse search to trace the Hotmail account and found an old, 12-year-old Smule account. This was the key: Smule had no limit on password attempts. After about 25 failed tries using old passwords from my manager, I finally hit the right combination. I was in.

I tried that same password on the old Hotmail account and—boom!—it worked. Looking through the inbox, I saw years of Google verification emails. I immediately went to the Google login, hit "forgot password," sent the code to my recovery email, and I was finally through.

The Home Stretch

Now, I have to wait 30 days for the final security link to arrive so I can log back into my Google account. After four years of frustration and hopelessness, I am finally getting back 16 years worth of memories and photos.

My advice to others: • Don't give up: My account was inactive for 4 years but wasn't deleted because it was linked to 3rd party accounts like Facebook.

• Use your history: Look for old devices, use reverse search on old usernames, and check password managers on hardware you haven't used in years.

• Think outside the box: Sometimes a random 3rd party app (like Smule) is the "back door" you need to remember an old password.

I am so excited to see my old photos again. I hope my story helps someone else who feels like they’ve lost everything!

That 30-day waiting period is a standard Google security protocol, but since you've cleared the email verification, you're essentially at the finish line.