How are you describing it as life changing? Do you mean getting in on the ICO to you selling up made you phenomenal amounts of money? It seems though you are disappointed that is why you mentioned the junk folder and your heartbreaking.
I think he/she is trying to say that they signed up for an email to remind them about the ICO, but they probably missed the ICO since the message alerting them about the sales probably ended up in the junk folder.I though i don't understand how that is life changing... Negatively perhaps?
I feel sorry for him if wanted to get in during the ICO but sadly it did not happen.
He;s life changing because he didn't joining the ICO 
Yes sadly for him, I think he means if he had got in during the ICO he would have got some money which would have been enough to change a lot of things in his life.