Ace TV pitchman Billy Mays, who died in his sleep Sunday at 50, described his experience on a turbulent U.S. Air flight to Tampa Bay's Fox affiliate Saturday, just a day prior to his surprising death.

"We're very fortunate to be here ... glad to be back on solid ground," Mays, clad in a brown-striped polo shirt told the station, following the flight from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Odessa, Florida.

According to reports, the flight abruptly ended when the plane's front tires were blown, and the aircraft skidded to a grinding halt.

Said Mays: "All of a sudden, as we hit, it was just the hardest hit."

He said that he was struck by falling items that were kept in overhead storage bins.

"It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head," said Mays, who was slated to have his third hip replacement surgery Monday.

A source told RadarOnline.com that the TV personality was taking Xanax to combat "terribly frightened and anxious" feelings he had about the medical procedure.

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• TAGS
• Billy Mays
• Celebrity Death
• Florida
• TV

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