Is it possible to back up data if hard drive is crashing or has crashed

My son's computer froze and I have tried to reboot while holding down the option key and by holding down Command + Option + R for an internet reboot.
When I try to repair utilities from the internet, I cannot choose the hard drive; instead, my options are SuperDrive, disk) and MacOS X Base System.
When I click on any of those options and select First Aid, I cannot click on Repair Disk Permissions. It's as if the hard drive has vanished!
If I try to re-install Mac OS X, will I lose all data?
I have an appointment with the Genius Bar tomorrow, but I have no way that I know of to back up the data.
Ideas?  My son does not use iCloud and has never back up anything

First, don't attempt to reinstall OS X. Even if it does allow you to do so, it will overwrite existing drive space and may put your files further out of reach.
There are disk utilities you can use to try to recover the drive (e.g. Diskwarrior), or get the files back (e.g. Data Rescue) - they generally require having another Mac connected to your son's, and space to recover files to. They're not recommended if you're unfamiliar with their use, as it's very possible to make things worse.
I would be inclined to leave the computer alone until you meet with Apple, tell them exactly what the situation is, and they may be able to connect to the files. If they cannot, you should take the computer (before Apple does any work on it) to a reliable local Mac specialist who could try to recover the data for you. If it is absolutely vital that you get the files back, you may end up having to send the drive to a data recovery specialist such as DriveSavers (which can be quite expensive).
Matt

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