Officials Tried to Help Florida Man ‘Lt. Dan’ Before Hurricane Milton, but He Refused to Leave His Boat

Before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Tampa, Florida, officials there made an effort to help a man who went by the TikTok handle “Lieutenant Dan.” The man, whose true name is apparently Joseph Malinowski, defied their attempts to disembark from his 20-foot boat and chose instead to weather the storm.

Malinowski was filmed by Terrence Concannon, who uploaded the popular TikTok on October 8 and showed him justifying his choice. Malinowski, who was inspired by the Forrest Gump character, boldly declares his belief in God in the video, saying, “God told me to come out here and acquire a boat. I’m safe with him. We’re going to get through this. He brashly said, “Hell no,” when asked if he would be donning a life jacket, stating that his yacht was the safest place for him to be.

Around 43 million people had viewed the film as of October 9, garnering both local and national interest. Authorities in Tampa were worried about his safety, but Malinowski refused to leave despite multiple attempts to persuade him. The local police said that although they would have helped, they would eventually be unable to get to him due to the storm’s increasing conditions.

Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa first said that Malinowski had been rescued and taken to a shelter during a press conference. Brian Entin, a reporter for NewsNation, swiftly refuted this, posting a picture of Malinowski remaining on his boat as evidence that he had not departed. Later on, the mayor’s office stated that Malinowski had initially decided to depart but ended up staying.

Concannon, the person who first uploaded the popular video, launched a GoFundMe page in support of Malinowski, which raised almost $23,000. The money is meant to assist Malinowski—who has been called a “modern-day pirate”—in buying a new boat because his present one has “seen better days.”

With sustained winds of 120 mph, Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, was predicted to make landfall on Florida’s west-central coast as of October 9. Malinowski made the decision to stay on his boat despite several orders for the locals to leave, putting his faith and the security of his craft at risk.

What You Saw First Will Reveal the Whole Truth About You

Our mind is a complex and multifaceted mechanism; sometimes we don’t even know what our own personality hides. However, you can uncover the traits and secrets of your personality in a simple way: just trust your intuition and choose the first thing you see in these pictures.

Upstairs or downstairs?

  • Cat heading upstairs: You don’t pay attention to details. You’re probably a little bit messy and naive. You believe in everything you see and this makes you love life.
  • Cat heading downstairs: You are an attentive person and have good intuition. You pay a lot of attention to detail and like a challenge.

An old lady or a young woman?

  • An old lady: You’re an experienced person. You have a critical mind, and you analyze life from every point of view.
  • A young woman: You are an optimist and impulsive. You’re also happy.

What animal do you see first?

  • The bull

If you noticed a bull, that means you have confidence in yourself and your actions. Being mysterious to other people makes you feel delight. However, you cannot stand it when people perpetuate lies and hypocrisy. As you have a strong sense of justice, you always try to do what’s right.

  • The horse

If the horse first caught your attention you are a natural leader. You are sensitive to others and willing to put their needs first. People look up to you for your determination and your perseverance. You maintain calmness and reasonable thinking in any situation.

  • The bear

Seeing a bear signifies that you are the empathetic type. You listen to the anxieties of others and make them feel safe. People don’t feel judged by you. You’re a great caretaker.

Do you enjoy learning new things about yourself? Then take a look at this article as well.

Related Posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*