A Tampa, Florida man nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan” (real name Joseph Malinowski) has gone viral on TikTok for his determination to ride Hurricane Milton out on his 20-foot sailboat. However, there’s been some confusion about whether he decided to evacuate to safety. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor released a statement saying Tampa Bay police had “rescued” Malinowski. However, he stated that the claim is false and that he’s still on his boat.
TikToker Lieutenant Dan still on his boat despite claims to the contrary
Local Tampa Bay CBS affiliate WTSP reported that Tampa Mayor Jane Castor released a statement that Lieutenant Dan had left his boat and taken shelter. She stated:
“The Tampa Police Department, this morning, just saved Lieutenant Dan. He has been rescued, and he is now in a shelter as well. If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anybody to do that.”
However, speaking with NBC News, Malinowski said that statement was incorrect:
“I’m still on my boat. I’m still afloat, and the rain’s coming down kind of hard, but that’s about it. I don’t know, I don’t understand why everybody’s concerned. I’ve been doing this for years, and nobody was ever concerned the previous times.”
However, Malinowski doesn’t intend to go down with the ship. Adding to the assertion that he’s still on his boat, he said, “Don’t get me wrong, if I start bouncing around and I start hearing things crack and break, I’m getting the hell out of here. But if it’s just wind and some heavy rain, I can deal with that.”
While some on social media have called Malinowski foolish, his steadfast determination to stand his ground and endure has inspired others. The correct action in his situation would be to flee to shelter. However, many respect his choice to stay in the boat, which he calls his home, for as long as possible.
