Faxed Handprints Second Best to Touching Ripley’s Famous Fertility Statues

During the first year of the Fertility Statue Tour in 2008-2009, several women who wanted to touch the statues were unable to travel to a Ripley’s Believe It or Not! to personally touch them. Instead, they made copies of their hand prints on a copy machine and then rubbed the copy with their hands again, then faxed them to Ripley’s. We then took the faxed hand prints, rubbed them on the statues and either sent them or faxed them back. 

And Believe It or Not! this very unusual method worked for a few lucky couples. Check out the letters we received:

This is a letter from a California woman:

My husband and I have been trying since last October to conceive without success.  After 8 months my husband told me to stop stressing over the issue – if it was going to happen, perhaps it would happen when we least expected it.  I reluctantly agreed, but the yearning for the baby never left me for a split second.  Then by chance I came across the article on the internet about the Ivory Coast fertility statues.  After reading so many success stories from other people, I was still very skeptical, but out of curiosity, I decided to call your headquarter in June 2008.  To my disappointment, I was told that the statues were no longer on tour, but the operator suggested I fax my handprints over and they could rub it on the statues.  I didn’t have to physically touch the statues?  I was beyond skeptical then and decided that was too far fetched and abandoned the idea.  Almost two months later I jokingly told someone else that was also trying to conceive that she should fly to Florida to rub the statues.  She thought it was so silly and the jokes went on.  Yet I could not stop thinking about it for the rest of the day.  I picked up the phone and called the Ripley’s headquarter and spoke to Angela Ardis.  She told me to fax my handprints over at once because the statues were going back on tour and were being removed from the headquarter that very day.  I got my prints to her within 5 minutes, even called to confirm that Angela had received it and would rub it for me before it was too late.  That was on July 28^th.  I would like to report that I am now pregnant.  We even know the date of conception – 5 days after I faxed over my handprints!  It’s unbelievable!  I can’t wait to see the statues in person!  Thank you!!!!

Fax from a Pennsylvania woman:

I would just like to thank the employee who rubbed my handprint over the fertility statues last month (February). I really appreciate you taking the time to do that for me. I am also pleased to announce that I tested positive for pregnancy two weeks after receiving the fertility rubbed handprint back (March 20^th)!! I am now due to give birth November 28, 2009. Thank you so much.

Letter from a California woman:

Hello, I was just writing to tell you guys that my daughter was born December 9, 2008. I visited the Orlando Ripley’s in March and touched one of the fertility statues. Prior to this, we thought my fiancé was sterile. Just thought you guys might want one more confirmation.

Story involving a Virginia woman:

 A Virginia woman serving on the USS Kearsearge paid the statues a visit at during a shore leave excursion when her ship pulled into New York City. She and a friend went to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Times Square. They touched the statues for fun, took a few pictures and had a few laughs.

 They didn’t think much about getting pregnant – but maybe they should have.

 Nine months later the Virginia woman found herself with a baby and a husband. This is why the sign says “Do not touch – unless you want a baby!”