‘Lieutenant Dan’ refuses to leave boat during Hurricane Milton – and survives | US News

A one-legged ‘Florida man’ who turned an in a single day TikTok sensation for braving the complete drive of Hurricane Milton in a tiny sailboat has emerged unscathed.

Joseph Malinowski lives on a 20-foot yacht docked in Tampa Bay and refused a number of provides to be moved to a shelter, as a substitute opting to remain put.

His exploits earned him the title ‘Lieutenant Dan’ named after Gary Sinise’s paraplegic character from the movie Forrest Gump who additionally refused to depart his boat throughout a large storm.

In a now-viral social media clip, Mr Malinowski informed Sky Information: ‘Plan is to take a seat down and hunker down.

‘I’m gonna be fantastic. It is a boat. It’s meant to be on water.

‘The water’s going to surge, it’s not a tsunami.”

He claimed to have slept via Hurricane Helene, and that he would have the option to take action once more.

‘I’ve no considerations, God’s obtained me. I’m gonna hunker down and do my TikTok.’

Each the police and even Tampa mayor Jane Castor made a number of makes an attempt to maneuver Mr Malinowski from his boat forward of Hurricane Milton, which has wreaked havoc all through massive components of Florida.

However he steadfastly refused to evacuate, saying he would solely go away if his boat began to interrupt aside.

Many thought he was signing his demise warrant with the transfer, however in a miraculous flip of occasions, it seems Lt Dan has weathered the storm.

‘I’m nonetheless on my boat. I’m nonetheless afloat, and the rain’s coming down sort of exhausting, however that’s about it,’ he informed NBC Information in a name on Wednesday.

‘I don’t know, I don’t perceive why all people’s involved. I’ve been doing this for years, and no person was ever involved concerning the earlier instances.’

He was later noticed sticking his head out of the window of his boat at round 11pm on Wednesday night time, telling a reporter he was ‘fantastic’.

Detailing his expertise in a TiKTok video, Mr Malinowski stated: ‘I’m not taking over any water, I haven’t even spilled my espresso but.

‘I’m good, I’ve obtained all the things I want, I’ve obtained loads of water, I’ve obtained loads of meals. I might be in right here for 2 weeks.

‘I’ve obtained all the things I want – espresso, creamer, all the things.’

He later informed Sky Information after the storm handed on Thursday: ‘I made it via unscathed. It was fairly good.’

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