It’s no secret that a lot of celebrities have been dying lately. The latest one to kick the bucket is Billy Mays, the enthusiastic television pitchman for OxiClean and Orange Glo household cleaners.

I was a little surprised by the publicity that Billy Mays’ untimely death drew (although it didn’t even come close to the overproduction that was made of the “king of pop’s” passing). But the more I thought about it, I realized that the OxiClean guy had become quite an icon of American infomercial culture. I think just about everyone would recognize his boisterous voice and immediately associate it with household cleaners.

What is it about Billy Mays that makes him so memorable—and so inseparable from the products he promoted? Well, for one thing, he certainly believed in what he sold. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone with more confidence in his or her ability to remove grass stains from blue jeans.

Secondly, he was excited about the products he promoted. He really believed he had the best stuff on the planet, and no one was going to stop him from telling others about it. It was almost as if he was compelled to share the stain-fighting action of OxiClean with as many people as possible.

It’s sad that Mr. Mays died at such a young age, and I will miss the enthusiasm he brought to paid programming. But there’s also a lesson to learn from the life of Billy Mays. When you believe in something wholeheartedly, have full confidence in it, and share your excitement with others, you’re bound to leave a legacy.