http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/28 ... ews-metro/
Internationally known TV product pitchman Billy Mays, who rose to the top of his profession with a boisterous persona that touched consumers and helped create more than $1 billion in merchandise sales, was found dead in his South Tampa home Sunday morning.
His wife Deborah woke up and found Mays, 50, in bed and not breathing, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.
He was dead when Tampa Fire Rescue arrived at Mays' house at 2853 Bowen Daniel Drive, where he was with his wife and 3-year-old daughter. The time of death was reported as 7:45 a.m.
Mays had no obvious injuries, and there were no signs of forced entry at the family's home near Old Tampa Bay. No foul play is suspected, police said.
Family members told police Mays hadn't been feeling well Saturday and that he went to bed early, shortly after 10 p.m., McElroy said.
Hours before, Mays was on board a US Airways flight from Philadelphia that landed safely at Tampa International Airport Saturday afternoon after its front tires blew out, resulting in bumps and bruises to some passengers.
Todd Schnitt, host of "The MJ Morning Show," said he called his friend about 10 p.m. Saturday after seeing him interviewed on TV. Mays was getting ready for bed.
"He said he was tired; he had some stuff fall on him in the airplane," Schnitt said. "He hit his head when the (flight) landed."
After seeing he and Sully doing their adds and helping others pitch and sell their inventions I have a lot of respect for him and Sully both. He will be truly missed and I hope he rests in peace.