Photo Gallery Glen Lee, Chattanooga's Stick Man View 8 Photos

Glen Lee, right, talks to Andrew Auber as volunteer workers gather to clean up the damage at Lee's stick maze in a wooded area in between Signal Mountain Road and Mountain Creek Road on Sunday, Mar. 20, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

In an undeveloped lot behind the Pizza Hut on Mountain Creek Road, a few jumbled walls of sticks mark what is left of "Stick Man's" fortress.

The hidden treasure, built singlehandedly by an elderly man over the last decade, was partially destroyed in March. Its architect, Glenn Lee, better known in the community as Stick Man, vowed to rebuild. But now it looks like the convoluted construction will never regain its former glory.

At 94 years of age, Stick Man died early Wednesday morning at Erlanger hospital.

According to his niece, Deborah Jolley, Lee was seen by passersby and neighbors working in the lot Friday morning, but he seemed dazed. When he fell to the ground, they raced to get him help, believing he may have had a seizure.

He spent the next several days fighting for his life at Erlanger, but he died peacefully Wednesday surrounded by family members.

"He just took care of me like his own daughter. Never complained and never asked for anything in return," Jolley said. "I think he's the greatest man who ever walked on the face of the Earth."

With her own father never having been a part of her life, Lee stepped in to fill the void, Jolley said. She said that was par for the course for a man who relentlessly took care of his friends and family, giving freely whatever he could offer.

"He was the only father that I've ever really known."

Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.