Internet sensation and Florida man “Lieutenant Dan” has survived the devastation of Hurricane Milton after telling everyone near and far that he was going to ride out the storm in his tiny sailboat.
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The one-legged man, whose real name is Joseph Malinowsk, shared that he was ok after the storm swept through Tampa Bay, causing devasting flooding and wind damage to everything in its path.
The nickname is a nod to Gary Sinise’s amputee character in Forrest Gump.
After being told to evacuate in anticipation of Hurricane Milton, Lieutenant Dan refused to leave his sailboat. Despite his initial refusal, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor claimed the city’s police “just saved Lieutenant Dan” during a press conference hours before the storm made landfall.
“He has been rescued, and he is now in a shelter as well,” Castor said at the time. “If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anybody to do that.”
However, moment after the announcement, Lieutenant Dan was seen in his docked sailboat.
“I know the Mayor of Tampa just said in her press conference that Lieutenant Dan went to a shelter. He didn’t, I’m standing right here,” NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin declared in a post on X. He then shared a photo of the Florida man popping his head out of his sailboat’s cabin.
Lieutenant Dan also told Entin he was going to stay in his sailboat in the Tampa Bay during Hurricane Milton.
Just after the storm made landfall, Entin checked on the one-legged man, whose boat was still tied to a dock. The reporter called out for the man a few times before the sailboat’s cabin opened.
“I’m fine,” Malinowski declared as he popped his head up. “Right now I’m doing fine. I’m stuck here. I can’t go anywhere.”
Lieutenant Dan Joins Livestream on TikTok to Share Details About His Hurricane Milton Experience
After Hurricane Milton made its way through the Tampa Bay area, Lieutenant Dan appeared on a TikTok livestream to share details about his storm experience.
He stated that the wind was so strong that it sent him “banging into the wall a few times. “But that was to be expected,” he pointed out.
Amid his gaining Internet stardom, a GoFundMe was started to help Lieutenant Dan with his “seafaring dreams.”
“He’s the kindest soul, never asking for anything but always ready to lend a hand,” the organizer Terrence Concannon shared. “His current vessel has seen better days, and we want to surprise him with a new boat to continue his seafaring adventures. Let’s come together and show our support for this modern-day pirate by helping him get a new ship to sail the seas!”
So far, the fundraiser has raised more than $34,000 of its $100,000 goal.