This may be an old tech support standby, but it fixes a lot of issues, especially those caused by software glitches.
It’s possible that the flash drive could have been damaged without your knowledge, so check it physically to rule out any issues before trying again. Some units have a dedicated power cable, or physical power button that you have to turn on manually, for your computer to detect it. When you connect your USB stick to your computer, it should ideally turn on automatically with flashing lights on the unit indicating activity.
How To Fix a Plugged-In USB Drive Not Showing Up