Dave Freeman was about halfway through his famous list of life's goals when he died at the age of 47 on 17 August, 2008. He died at his home in California after a fall.

He was the co-author of 100 Things to Do Before You Die, a bible for global thrill-seekers that listed exhilarating activities around the world and rated them on a scale from 'grandma friendly' to 'down and dirty'.

The American advertising executive co-wrote the book with Neil Teplica in 1999 and the pair had been endeavouring to experience all the things in the book. It encompassed activities ranging from going to an Oscar ceremony to a voodoo pilgrimage in Haiti.

The most exciting thing Mr Freeman had done so far, he said, was land-diving in the South Pacific, a primitive form of bungee jump with a vine in place of the elastic rope.

The book was compiled from suggestions sent in by travellers to a website. The title entered the standard lexicon of motivational writing and inspired numerous similar books and television programmes.

Mr Freeman was born in Whittier, California, on 21 February, 1961. He was a graduate of the University of Southern California and worked for several advertising agencies, first in New York then back in Southern California where he went to be closer to his family in 2001.

After his death Mr Teplica commented: "He didn't have enough days, but he lived them like he should have."