Florida man aka Lieutenant Dan survives Hurricane Milton

Lieutenant Dan, who refused evacuation orders, weathered the stormy night and emerged from his battered boat.

Joseph Malinowski, a one-legged Florida man known online as Lieutenant Dan, has drawn attention for defying evacuation orders during Hurricane Milton.

Despite warnings from Tampa Bay officials, including Mayor Jane Castor, Malinowski chose to weather the storm on his sailboat. He shared his experience on TikTok, telling his followers that his boat was secure in the 120 mph winds and that he had enough supplies to last for weeks. "I haven’t even spilled my coffee," he confidently remarked.

During the storm, Malinowski was interviewed by NewsNation reporter Brian Entin, where he stuck his head out of the boat and reassured Entin that he was "fine" despite worsening conditions. Later in the night, he spoke to Fox 13 reporter Kevin O'Donnell, telling him, "The water's gone," as he observed the waters off Bayshore Boulevard receding. He then asked whether the bay’s water was going to come back.

Lieutenant Dan CONFIRMS he’s okay! ‼️😮
pic.twitter.com/tKPGJToGfn

— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) October 10, 2024

Throughout the night, Malinowski posted updates on social media, describing the winds as similar to being "rear-end bumped at 5mph" and expressing faith in his safety after a conversation with God.

Lieutenant Dan CONFIRMED ALIVE and SURVIVED! 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/5EejHtbgkw

— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) October 10, 2024

Malinowski, who lost his leg in a car accident at 16, earned the nickname Lieutenant Dan from fans, referencing the character from 'Forrest Gump.' His decision to stay on his boat during the hurricane led supporters to raise over $33,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to help him purchase a new ship.

As Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 1 storm, it continued to cause widespread destruction across Florida. The storm spawned at least 19 tornadoes, destroyed mobile homes, and left more than two million people without power. The storm’s winds even tore the roof of Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite being downgraded, the National Hurricane Center warned of ongoing dangers, including flash flooding and dangerous storm surges in Central Florida.