Social media was abuzz with the news that some residents of Florida had chosen to ignore evacuation orders and stay put as Hurricane Milton approached. One man, known as “Lt. Dan,” made headlines for planning to ride out the storm on his sailboat. Despite multiple evacuation orders and offers of assistance, he refused to leave, citing that the safest place to be was on a boat in a flood, drawing a comparison to the biblical story of Noah. Another social media influencer, Caroline Calloway, shocked her followers by announcing that she would be staying in her waterfront condo in Sarasota, Florida, just south of Tampa.
Joseph “Lt. Dan” Malinowski, who is missing his left leg, remained adamant about staying on his sailboat even after a visit from the Tampa police chief. News Nation reporter Brian Entin confirmed that Malinowski was alive and well aboard his sailboat after the storm had passed. On the other hand, Caroline Calloway joked on her Instagram story about the price of her books going up if she died in the storm, showcasing a somewhat nonchalant attitude towards the potentially dangerous situation.
In an interview with Intelligencer, Calloway explained her decision to ride out the storm, citing past bad experiences with hurricane evacuations as one of the reasons. She mentioned a previous evacuation during Hurricane Ian in 2022 that left her without water, electricity, and AC for three days. Additionally, she pointed out her deep connection to the Sarasota area, where her grandmother had lived since the 1970s, and the need to check on elderly family friends staying in the same building.
Calloway also discussed the logistical challenges they would have faced if they had attempted to evacuate, highlighting the difficult choices they were forced to make. Factoring in the potential traffic delays, lack of driving ability on her part, and concern for neighbors who would have been left behind, she felt staying put was the best option for her and her family. She expressed the complexity of the decision-making process and emphasized the difficult trade-offs involved in choosing between safety, logistics, and community support.
As of Thursday morning, Calloway had not posted an update on her Instagram in 11 hours, leaving followers wondering about her well-being. The actions of both “Lt. Dan” and Calloway sparked controversy and criticism on social media, with many questioning the wisdom of their choices to stay behind during a dangerous hurricane. The incident serves as a reminder of the different factors that individuals must consider when deciding whether to evacuate in the face of natural disasters, including personal experiences, relationships, and logistical challenges.
