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Tampa Resident ‘Lieutenant Dan’ Survives Hurricane Milton On His Boat

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6 days ago

October 12, 2024

Tampa Resident ‘Lieutenant Dan’ Survives Hurricane Milton On His Boat

Topline

Joseph Malinowski, recognized to TikTok as Lieutenant Dan, survived two straight hurricanes on his small sailboat in Tampa, defying pleas to hunt higher shelter from police, politicians and hundreds of TikTok viewers and propelling him to fame and a attainable profession in livestreaming.

“Lieutenant Dan” resisted pleas from police to go away his boat earlier than Hurricane Milton hit Tampa. … [+] (Photograph by Spencer Platt/Getty Photographs)

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Key Details

Terrence Concannon, a senior on the College of Tampa who posts on TikTok underneath the title Tampa Terrence, documented Malinowski’s dedication to remain on his boat all through each Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Malinowski’s insistence on staying in his boat sparked concern from native officers, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor stated throughout a Wednesday afternoon press briefing that Tampa police had introduced him to a shelter, however he was nonetheless in his boat by the point the hurricane hit.

Malinowski advised native reporters after Milton hit he didn’t wish to evacuate, claiming the “most secure place to be is on a ship in a flood,” and that he felt “effective” after the hurricane.

Concannon garnered hundreds of thousands of views posting movies of Malinowski, together with certainly one of police urging Malinowski to evacuate, a tour of his boat and interviews with Malinowski about why he refused to go away his boat.

In Concannon’s newest replace, posted late Wednesday night time, Malinowski joined common livestreamer Adin Ross on a stream because the hurricane raged, through which Ross stated he would purchase Malinowski a brand new boat value between $50,000 and $100,000 and would give him a take care of the streaming platform Kick, on which Malinowski may livestream his adventures on his boat.

Key Background

Concannon first posted about Malinowski on Sept. 25, simply earlier than Hurricane Helene hit, through which Concannon requested Malinowski what he needed to say to the storm. “F*ck you, you need me? Come and get me,” Malinowski stated from his boat. Concannon posted about Malinowski many instances all through each hurricanes, together with his most-viewed video racking up 30 million views on Sept. 26. In that video, Concannon interviewed Malinowski from his boat as sea ranges rose asking for an replace, through which Malinowski stated, “up to now, so good.” Concannon stated in a single video posted earlier than Milton hit that he secured a resort room for Malinowski and hoped that he would evacuate his boat, however stated Malinowski was insistent on staying within the boat. Concannon additionally began a GoFundMe for Malinowski to buy a brand new boat, which has raised greater than $37,000 up to now. Malinowski advised NBC Information he has been homeless for the previous 10 years and solely not too long ago moved to Florida. He had his left leg amputated under the knee after being hit by a automotive when he was 16 years previous. Concannon gave Malinowski the “Lieutenant Dan” nickname after the character from “Forrest Gump,” an amputee whose boat survives a hurricane.

Stunning Reality

Malinowski denied Castor’s declare that police had introduced him to a shelter, telling Ross on his livestream that he advised police “somebody will put me up for tonight, and I solely stated that to get them the hell away from me, however they went again and advised the mayor that they acquired me to go to a shelter or no matter.”

Tangent

“Lieutenant Dan” captivated hundreds of TikTok viewers who expressed each concern for his well-being and amusement over his insistence on staying within the boat. “Lieutenant Dan is stressing me out greater than Milton at this level,” the highest touch upon certainly one of Concannon’s TikTok movies says. “If he will get via this he’s gonna be a Tampa legend eternally,” one other commenter stated.