I wouldn't push it too much.
I mean I can provide a dozen instances where people have gotten their ban reduced after ghosting.
That's nothing new.
And people are always going to come on and say "Ghosting is always a perma ban"
And 100% of the time they are handled on a case by case basis :-/
for instance one guy DoYouLifeBro did this.... twice... and was unbanned..... twice
He did it under emotional circumstances too but the thing is he did it because he would get a little too excited about the game.
He would get soooo wrapped up into the game and excited and freaked out that he would use csay to call out t's
and like you proposed he had a lot of hours on the game as well
he has over 1100 hours on the server and was a moderator
SO the admins take into consideration a lot of things.
Merits, Time on server, Time on forums, prior bans, general behavior on the server, behavior during the appeal, ETC.
I wouldn't be shocked if the ban was reduced but I wouldn't be shocked if they declined it for the time being.
And even if it is declined, They don't typically forum ban you. If you are sincere, Just stick around be active in the community participate in other dink servers and appeal it again at a later date. Earn merit, community time, forum time. Become someone they want to invite back.