Ten Years Later, Boy's 'Hand of Hope' Continues to Spark Debate

 The Armas Family

Samuel Armas, 9, proudly displays ribbons he's won for swimming. Backstroke is his best stroke, he said.

Samuel Armas, 9, proudly displays ribbons he's won for swimming. Backstroke is his best stroke, he said.

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Nearly 10 years after a stunning photograph of his tiny hand traveled the world, Samuel Armas has a firm grip on what "The Hand of Hope" means to him.
"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."
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."