In the winter of 1976, the country was all abuzz about Gary Gilmore, a convicted Utah murderer who was demanding his own death. Gary, a career criminal, had killed two people in two days during the summer of '76. One was a gas station attendant and the other was a motel manager. The jury convicted Gary and unanimously recommended the death penalty. At that time, Utah had two options for execution, hanging and firing squad. Gary chose to be shot. He became the first person to be executed after the U.S. reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

When the time finally came for Gary to die before the firing squad, he was brought to an old cannery behind the prison and strapped to a chair. It was there where Gary issued his famous last words, “Let's do it!” Immediately after his death, Gary's corneas were donated to awaiting recipients, per his request.

Gary became somewhat of a cultural icon. The Police song Bring on the Night was inspired by Gary's possible thoughts on the night before his death. In his performance in the film The Postman Always Rings Twice, Jack Nicholson was inspired by Gary. He has been mentioned in Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, and Roseanne. Most notably, famed advertising executive Dan Wieden credits Gary's parting words as the inspiration for Nike's tagline, “Just Do It.”