Florida Man Defies Evacuation Orders Amid Hurricane Milton

TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa resident known as “Lieutenant Dan” captured nationwide attention by refusing to evacuate his 20-foot sailboat as Hurricane Milton approached the Gulf Coast. Despite warnings from officials about the potential dangers of the storm, Joseph Malinowski, 54, remained resolute in his decision to stay aboard his vessel moored in Tampa Bay Harbor.

According to reports, Malinowski, who has a significant presence on TikTok with over 211,000 followers, survived the hurricane’s onslaught. Videos shared by journalists on social media platforms showed him addressing his followers the day after the storm. Malinowski appeared unscathed and upbeat, stating, “I’m doing fine,” after Hurricane Milton had made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on the evening of October 9.

Malinowski’s choice to remain on his boat became a story of interest when Terrence Concannon, a University of Tampa senior, initially encountered and rescued Malinowski from drifting out to sea in mid-September. Since then, Concannon documented Malinowski’s determination to stay on his boat through several storms, including the most recent hurricane, amassing considerable attention online.

Concannon, whose TikTok posts have gone viral, told NBC News of the public’s growing concern. “Every single video I posted, I was receiving thousands of comments asking, ‘Where’s Dan? Check on Dan,'” he said. This prompted the launch of a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $22,000, intended to help Malinowski obtain a larger boat for better living conditions.

The Tampa Police Department and local officials made repeated efforts to persuade those in evacuation zones, like Malinowski, to move to safer locations. In a statement, the department highlighted their extensive efforts, which included direct door-to-door notifications and emergency alerts. However, Malinowski remained defiant, telling NBC News, “God didn’t send me here to die.”

After an update from Tampa’s Mayor Jane Castor incorrectly declared him rescued and in a shelter, Malinowski refuted the claim, insisting that he stayed on his boat. He expressed dissatisfaction with the governmental push for evacuation, suggesting the high-profile interest in his safety stemmed from the potential loss of life reflecting poorly on officials.

Hurricane Milton, forecasted as the most severe to impact Tampa in a century, brought with it warnings of potentially life-threatening conditions. Despite the storm’s intensity, Malinowski’s sailboat and its occupant withstood the adverse weather, leaving many to marvel at his resolve and circumstance.

In interactions with media post-storm, Malinowski was nonchalant about the event, putting faith in his decision to stay. “The safest place in the world to be is my boat,” he told NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin, dismissing concerns over the absence of a life jacket as he weathered the elements aboard his small sailboat.