Hand of Hope (remarkable photo of 21 wk old baby)

e-mail ^ | Unknown | Michael Clancy, Photo

[GirlShortstop]

According to the mother who had the surgery, Vanderbilt University, where the procedure took place, and the photographer who took the picture, this story is true.

This picture of a 21-week fetus hand reaching up through an incision in its mother's uterus to grab the finger of the surgeon who had just performed a life-saving procedure appeared in the November 16 edition of The National Enquirer. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "The Picture of the Decade."

The 21-week-old unborn baby is named Samuel Alexander Armas, and is being operated on by a surgeon named Joseph Bruner.  The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from the mother's womb.

Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta.  She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure.  Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.  In the procedure, a C-section removes the uterus and the doctor makes a small incision to operate on the baby.

During the surgery on little Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed, hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger.  The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity.

The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope."

The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."

That picture should be shown on every television newscast and run in every newspaper in America.  It is a graphic reminder that growing in the womb of his or her mother is a baby.  It is not a "glob of tissue," or "product of conception."  That pre-born baby is a human being with all the emotions, will and personality of any human being.  That picture says it in a way that a thousand words cannot.

Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture.  She said, "The photo reminds us my pregnancy isn't about disability or illness, it's about a little person."   That's what it's always been about.  That's what the liberal elite have tried to get us to forget.  May this image jog our memories so that we will never forget.

[GirlShortstop]

I received this story via e-mail, and after verifying at truthorfiction.com, I looked to see if it had been posted onto FR.

I was surprised that many searches produced no hits.

Remarkable photo, isn't it?

I hope the Topics selected are okay; is this a vanity?

[votelife]

bttt

[Blue Scourge]

all I can say is wow.....Praise God.

[GirlShortstop]

 
Thanks for the bump Votelife... Have you seen this before?

[Incorrigible]

Matt Drudge left FoxNews Channel over this photo years ago.  FoxNews didn't want him to show it on TV.  He had it on his website for weeks afterwards.

[GirlShortstop]

Matt Drudge left FoxNews Channel over this photo years ago. FoxNews didn't want him to show it on TV. He had it on his website for weeks afterwards.

Thanks for the tidbit of information Incorrigible.

[BushWonGore'sDone]

I also heard about this photo but for some reason it would not come up on the referral site. I believe it was several months back.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Psalm 139: 13-16

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

[doug from upland]

FROM THE ARCHIVES, NOV. 1999 ---

MIDI - ALL OUT OF LOVE

It’s twenty one weeks and the baby is ill
But what is the doctor to do?
He’s there in the womb and there isn’t much hope
A miracle soon comes true
Mom says “Operate…because Samuel needs help”
The whole thing is very well planned
The doctor’s surprised when his finger is grabbed
“My God, it is Samuel’s hand…tiny hand

They’re not tissue mass…they are not a choice, now
Come join if you will…by raising your voice now
They’re not tissue mass…my God, they are babies
Abortion is wrong…it’s got to be stopped somehow

For too many years many babies like him
Were ripped from their safe mother’s womb
Purveyors of death taking innocent life
Hell waits for those in that room

They’re selfish and cruel…they are evil indeed
How many more babies must die?
We can’t turn our heads…we all have to stand up
We hear the angels cry…angels cry

They’re not tissue mass…they are not a choice, now
Come join if you will…by raising your voice now
They’re not tissue mass…my God, they are babies
Abortion is wrong…it’s got to be stopped somehow

Oh, how many more must die…can't you hear angels cry?
How many more must die…can't you hear angels cry?

They’re not tissue mass…they are not a choice, now
Come join if you will…by raising your voice now
They’re not tissue mass…my God, they are babies
Abortion is wrong…it’s got to be stopping

They’re not tissue mass…they are not a choice, now
Come join if you will…by raising your voice now
They’re not tissue mass…my God, they are babies
Abortion is wrong…it’s got to be stopping

They’re not tissue mass…they are not a choice, now
Come join if you will…by raising your voice now
They’re not tissue mass…my God, they are babies
Abortion is wrong…it’s got to be stopping

[YoungKentuckyConservative]

Every mother wanting to have an abortion should be forced to see this picture, prior to the "operation"....if that is what we decide to call it.

[RushLake]

"......prior to the "operation"....if that is what we decide to call it."

How about premeditated murder?

[mwyounce]

http://www.snopes.com/photos/thehand.asp

[MainFrame65]

It is good to see this picture, and accompanying story, again, even though it has appeared here more than once already.

Actually, I would propose that a "Hall of Merit" be created to permanently contain the most significant and meaningful images and stories of our times on this forum, and this would be at the top of my list. President Clinton wagging his finger at us, as well as President Bush at Ground Zero, and again landing on the carrier, would also be on my list.

I have seen several of the "best of" threads and found them interesting, but they seem to just disappear after a while. A formal nomination and selection process might be of great interest, especially to new users here.

Is anyone else interested, or have a few nominations from the past?

[xrp]

take that [any] pro-murder Democrats and liberals out there!

[narses]

Great post, thanks.

[nickcarraway]

BUMP

[nickcarraway]

ping

[weegee]

Snopes is leftist bunk. They bias their presentations (they say it all comes down to the "claim" summary).

[RS]

From the position of the doctors fingers, it sure looks as if the doctor lifted the hand to pose the picture. What else could the doctor possibly have been doing with his hand in a palm up position ?