Recovering messages from folders

Hello,
On my gmail sidebar I have folders containing "keepsakes" from family and friends. I "deleted forever" the trash can. Then, by mistake, I "deleted forever" all mail. Now, all the keepsake folders are empty. I am just sick as one folder contained files from my now deceased daughter. I called GMAIL technical support and was told the information in each folder could be retrieved but it would cost me $199.00 Is this the only way to retrieve the information?
Kat