El Paso icon Jay J. Armes dead at 92

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso icon Jay J. Armes has died. His son, Jay J. Armes III posted the news on social media today.

"With a heavy heart, I post this message to my family, friends, and others," the younger Armes wrote. "Although I always knew that someday I would have to do this, the difficulty of this moment has not fully set in. My father, Jay J. Armes Sr. has been called to be with our Lord. He passed peacefully and was surrounded by his family."

Jay J. Armes Sr. lived many roles throughout his lifetime. He was an actor, a private investigator, city councilman, author, and successful business owner.

Widely regarded as a real-life action hero, Jay J. Armes had an action figure modeled after him. El Pasoans also know him for his former extravagant Lower Valley house, which housed exotic animals such as tigers.

"Everyone believes that their father is a superhero," Armes' son shared online. "My father actually was one. On one occasion, I had the pleasure of spending some time with our friend Stan Lee of Marvel Comics fame. Stan told me something that I never forgot. Stan said, 'Jay, all the superheroes that I created received their superpowers from a tragic accident. Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider, the Hulk was exposed to gamma radiation, and Daredevil was blinded by chemicals. Your father was changed by an explosion as a young boy, and he became a super sleuth. That's really incredible! He is going to be my first, real-life superhero!' I never looked at my father's accident that way, but it took Stan Lee to truly put things into perspective for me. Although my father will be missed, his impact on others and this world will last for many years to come."

Jay J. Armes was 92.