"It's just a miracle picture, a miracle moment," Clancy told FOXNews.com. "It shows the earliest human interaction ever recorded."
The baby in the picture to the left is now 9 years old. Fox News recently reported and don't miss YouTube of House MD episode below:
""When I see that picture, the first thing I think of is how special and lucky I am to have God use me that way," Samuel told FOXNews.com. "I feel very thankful that I was in that picture."
"It's very important to me," Samuel told Fox News. "A lot of babies would've lost their lives if that didn't happen."
On Aug. 19, 1999, photographer Michael Clancy shot the "Fetal Hand Grasp" — his picture of a 21-week-old fetus grasping a doctor's finger during innovative surgery to correct spina bifida. Nearly four months later, on Dec. 2, Samuel Armas was "born famous."
The photo, which first appeared in USA Today on Sept. 7, 1999, quickly spread across the globe as proof of development in the womb and was later cited during congressional debates on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which passed in 2000.
"It's just a miracle picture, a miracle moment," Clancy told FOXNews.com. "It shows the earliest human interaction ever recorded."
Samuel, now 9 and living in Villa Rica, Ga., said the photo likely gave countless "babies their right to live" and forced many others to debate their beliefs on abortion, something he's proud of."
LifeNews.com reports what the mother said and the once pro-abort photographer of this event now pro-life speaker.
"He identifies it more in terms of a pro-life message more than anything," she said. "This photo happened and God used it to show people that this baby in mom's tummy is alive. He's pleased that his photo conveyed that message."
Michael Clancy, the photographer who took the now-famous picture, told Fox News he supported legal abortion before the picture and now he makes a living sharing the story with pro-life groups.
"And that's what I'm going to do, keep telling this story," he said. "It can change people's hearts. What started off as an assignment turned into a responsibility to keep telling the story behind it."
Here is an interesting video of a House MD episode probably inspired in part by the real story.
"The story of Samuel reaching from the womb is a story about blessings. At 43 years old I came to what I call, “The end of myself.” God had blessed me when HE put a camera in my hand, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted/needed more. HE led me to the tiny church in the mountains of North Carolina and guided me through HIS path to salvation. Three months after I professed my faith to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I received the assignment to photograph Samuel’s surgery. I had always wanted someone in my life I loved so much I was willing to die for them. Someone that was willing to die for me. I found HIM! HE had patiently waited for me, and HE blessed me with Love, Forgiveness, Works, and such blessing there was not enough room to receive it. Bless you, Michael C."-Emphasis is Michael's own. Glory be to God.
Here is a page of upcoming events where he will be speaking at.
