‘Lieutenant Dan’ survives Hurricane Milton in sailboat in Tampa
Local authorities attempted to move the man, known online as "Lieutenant Dan," to different shelter, but he insisted on riding out Hurricane Milton on his boat.
TAMPA, Fla. — 54-year-old Joseph Malinowski, who has been dubbed “Lieutenant Dan” on social media, has survived record-breaking Hurricane Milton on his 20-foot sailboat.
Malinowski, who drew nationwide interest and concern over his highly publicized decision to ride out Hurricanes Helene and Milton on his vessel, chose to remain in the boat here despite several attempts from officials to safely evacuate him. Followers offered Malinowski shelter — both in nearby hotels and in their own homes — which he turned down.
Malinowski skyrocketed to national consciousness after TikTok creator Terrence Concannon posted a series of videos about his experience riding out Hurricane Helene.
As Hurricane Milton was bearing down on Tampa, Malinowski posted to his social media account to soothe his newfound audience’s worries, even as his boat rocked and shaked against increasing wind and rain. At around 8 a.m. Thursday, Malinowski gave NBC News a straightforward response when asked if he was OK following the storm.
“Yeah,” he said in a text message.
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