That sucks, but Gmail prompts you many times (to the point of annoyance) to setup recovery mechanisms. Recovery emails, recovery phone numbers, and there's one

That sucks, but Gmail prompts you many times (to the point of annoyance) to setup recovery mechanisms. Recovery emails, recovery phone numbers, and there's one that I didn't know of until my son died, but there's an account inactivity notice you can send out automatically which allows the recipient to log in. There's a reason they nag you too setup those alternative methods. I hope your friend can get back in to his account but others should take notice and ensure the recovery methods are setup if your email is critical.