Joseph Malinowski, also known as “Lieutenant Dan”, captured the attention of TikTok viewers worldwide when he decided to ride out Hurricane Milton in his small sailboat in Tampa. Despite warnings from local officials to seek shelter, Malinowski was determined to stay put with his boat tied to Bayshore Boulevard near Tampa General Hospital. He had previously ridden out Hurricane Helene in the same boat and remained unfazed by the storm, stating “it’s a boat – you keep the water out of the boat, you’ll be fine.”
Despite reports that he had been taken to a shelter during Hurricane Milton, live TikTok feeds and news interviews indicated that Malinowski was still in his boat refusing to leave the vessel. The “Lieutenant Dan” nickname he goes by appears to have been inspired by the character from the movie “Forrest Gump”, as Malinowski is missing part of his left leg and uses crutches. He remained confident throughout the storm, stating that he knew what he was doing and believed that God was looking out for him.
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm, surprising the Tampa Bay community that had already been affected by Hurricane Helene just weeks earlier. Despite the damage and destruction caused by the storms, Malinowski’s determination to stay put gained him viral fame on social media platforms. TikToker Adin Ross even offered to purchase him a new boat and set up a live stream deal to document his “voyages” and generate income for Malinowski.
However, Ross rescinded the offer after discovering Malinowski’s lengthy criminal record, which includes charges for hitting a police officer, drug possession, attempted breaking and entering, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Despite the backlash, Malinowski remains committed to riding out future hurricanes in his boat. During Hurricane Milton, he experienced wind gusts of up to 102 mph and talked to God while meditating, believing that a protective ring around him may have shielded him from harm.
As Malinowski faced the wrath of Hurricane Milton in his boat, he recalled a particularly intense moment when the wind picked up and he was bouncing around. He remained determined to stay put and ride out the storm, even as the boat sustained cosmetic damage and he found himself drifting away from the dock. Despite the challenges he faced during both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, Malinowski appears steadfast in his resolution to remain in his boat during future storms, despite the open questions surrounding the ownership of the vessel.
