Edits to Functions.php file caused crash – unsuccessful troubleshooting

Hello WordPress frends! I want to apologize in advance for my lack of knowledge on this subject. I hope you’ll be able to follow along with the trouble I’m having. Last night I made a small change to the very beginning of my current theme’s functions.php file. This caused the entire site to crash, and the URL to deliver this message: “Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘<‘ in /home/adam23/zymoent.com/wp-content/themes/parasponsive_v4.2/functions.php on line 2”

I assumed that meant “hey, check the file you just uploaded for a ‘<’ that is not supposed to be there”. I didn’t see this character on line two, other than the <?php that the file starts with in line 1. So here are the steps I took, in order, to try and fix it:

1 I checked the syntax on the functions.php file and found nothing, but I did copy and paste the pre-edited file into a dreamweaver php doc before I made the edit. So I just reuploaded the file to my FTP server. Cleared cache, Issue not solved, received the same error.

2. I deleted and reuploaded the functions.php file. Cleared cache, Issue not solved, received the same error.

3. I renamed the theme folder in attempts to force WP to revert to the default theme. Cleared cache, Issue not solved, received the same error.

4. I renamed the theme folder what it was previously, and downloaded the functions.php file directly from the theme’s developer page (found here https://themeforest.net/item/parasponsive-woocommerce-wordpress-parallax/4796867/comments?page=42 ) and reuploaded it in place of the old functions.php. Cleared cache, Issue not solved, received the same error.

5. I deleted the theme folder completely out of my FTP, cleared cache. Issue not solved, received the same error (how can the error give me that file path if that file path does not exist?!)

6. I panicked, held back frustrated tears, and turned to the interweb.

7. I found that although there are countless forums about people who have had the same problem due to their functions.php file, all of their issues seemed to be solved when they either reverted back to the old file or deleted/moved/renamed the theme file.

I am using Pydio as an FTP host, dreamweaver as the file ‘reader’, and the parasponsive + woocommerce v4.2 theme (although in my files, woocommerce is under plugins and parasponsive_v4.2 is under themes.) I have a WP export and a backup of the pre-edited functions.php file, but I do not have a full backup of the Panel because apparently I’m not smart. ??

Thank you in advance for any and all help on this!