That is unfortunate. Choosing dual-data pixels (i.e. 4-wire pixels with backup data) like WS2813 (5V), WS2815 (12V), WS2818 or GS8208 (12V) can be more reliable as in case of pixel failure they're designed to allow the data to pass over it and onto the still working pixels down string. Nearly my entire display is made up of the 4-wire pixel variety. One dead pixel on its own is much less obvious than say half a string going dark from a single failure.
I've run very small shows for 8 years now. I run about 400-500 pixels every year. I've had aspirations for larger shows but never find the time. If "pixels die" it's pretty odd that only the pixels I've bought from Ray have died like this. For 2 out of 2 years. The pixels from Amazon and DIYLEDExpress did not do this, and I've run those for 5+ years.
Yeah, I'm reminded of the very old dumb Christmas lights from the 70s and 80s where a single light would go bad and the entire strand would go dark. Those were worse though because you didn't know which one went bad and the entire string went dark (as opposed to pixels where the failure is more obvious). But still, a more redundant data bus would seem to be a better solution. I've always seen WS2811 though so I went with those. Maybe I should do more research on alternatives.