It is the most remarkable story - one which shocked people in the moment and continues to leave you in disbelief.
In a story that shocked not just the UK but the world, Alex Batty was allegedly abducted by his mother and grandfather when he was 11 years old on a holiday in Spain.
There was media coverage at the time of his disappearance and in the following months, before six years later, on December 14, 2023, the eyes of the world focused on Oldham, the town Alex is from.
I remember the day he was found. We were contacted by a French media outlet saying Alex Batty had been found near Toulouse in France.
Being a reporter throws up some interesting cases and sudden incidents of breaking news where you need to spring into action, but this was unlike anything I'd covered before and have covered since.
We contacted police, who seemed to be as shocked about this news as anyone else was. I was looking at websites which have profiles for missing people, seeing if there was any update on the Alex Batty case.
As the day went on, more and more French media outlets were getting in touch with us to ask us what we knew and if we knew Alex's grandmother. News was spreading and more outlets were reporting on Alex's reappearance as police began to share some information.
As we continued to gather as much information as we could, I was asked by French media outlet BFM if I would speak to them as part of their coverage. I agreed, and a few hours later I was making my debut on broadcast television in a move I never would have predicted when I logged on for work that morning.
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Watching the documentary has reminded me of just how big and shocking a story this was. The documentary at one point shows a clip of some television coverage on the story across the pond in the United States. This story was one that caught the attention of so many throughout the world.
Beyond the media coverage, this story is one about a boy who was put in a situation no child could ever think of being put in. He was taken away from everything he knew and was all of a sudden going by a fake name, constantly moving from one place to another and not spending any time with people his own age.
It is clear Alex is still grappling with what he went through, and will likely continue to grapple with it for many years to come.
He explains how he protected his mother and grandfather by "lying through my teeth" during police interviews. He seems to hold no animosity towards his mother, citing "no maliciousness" behind her decision to take him on the journey of pursuing an alternative lifestyle.
He admits he has a complicated relationship with her, but he still clearly loves her deep down.
Alex's bravery to talk about his ordeal is remarkable for a man of his age who has been through what he has.
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Reporting on the Alex Batty case may be the most extraordinary thing I've done in this job.
The story strikes a chord with every person in the world as we have all been a child and many have been parents. We can ask ourselves how would we have acted in Alex's position? How could one bring themselves to do what Alex's mother and grandfather did?
When people ask me about stories I've done in my career, the Alex Batty story is always one of the first that comes to mind. It kicked off a media frenzy which put Oldham at the centre of international attention.
Watching the documentary, I am reminded of just how unbelievable this story was, but the most important thing to know is Alex is now a healthy young man who continues to work through his past and look to his future.
The BBC documentary Kidnapped by my mum is available on BBC iPlayer.
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