The last leaf on the ivy creeper was Behrman’s masterpiece. Sue believes it to be a masterpiece because it reignited Johnsy's desire to survive, and she was able to recover from her sickness as a result of it. When the last leaf of the ivy creeper fell, Johnsy believed she would die. Behrman, on the other hand, spent an entire night painting a new green leaf in the middle of a storm. Behrman developed pneumonia after being soaked while painting and died as a result. However, when Johnsy saw that leaf, he believed it was real and felt confident. She recognized that if she wanted to, she could recover from her sickness.