Can this be real?

About 9 years ago, I planted a little anonymous mint that I bought from a farmers market. Can't remember what it was called.

I had recently bought a new home, and I planted it where the previous garden had been by the 2 owners ago (the people I bought from had let it weed up - never buy a home in winter! It means the garden/yard is atrocious!), along with some veggies. Everything died due to my not being a gardener yet, and I abandoned gardening for about 4 years after the failure. The mint - however, lived on, coming back year after year and growing in this weedy area that I seldom tended. It eventually grew to cover about a 3' by 3-4' area, and I started harvesting it for smoothies. by mid summer it would be flower and lose flavor and I'd let it go.

It didn't come back this year. Not one mint leaf is peaking through. What could be the explanatory here?

I have peppermint I just planted last year in another part of the yard, which I nearly lost several times last heat/drought wave, is back and looking lovely.

Only now - I realize how much I loved this gentle spearmint that was always there for me.

Have you ever heard of a large mint patch just dying off spontaneously? I though they were indestructible.