ASs WLT Report previously covered a man in Florida who goes by the nickname “Lieutenant Dan” because of his one leg (a reference to the movie Forrest Gump) refused to evacuate Tampa Bay as hurricane Miltom aims to make landfall.
Lt. Dan, whose real name is Joseph Malinowski, went viral on X and TikTok after he refused to evacuate Tampa Bay.
Malinowski told the press, “I’m not going anywhere because the safest place to be is on a boat in a flood.”
He added, “We learned that with Noah. Everyone who stayed on land drowned. Noah and the animals lived.”
A new report by WFLA has confirmed that Lt. Dan survived Hurricane Milton and never left his boat!
Lt Dan has successfully weathered Hurricane Milton on his boat! pic.twitter.com/55M4PjuvYr
— JereMemez (@Jere_Memez) October 10, 2024
#HurricaneMilton Lt Dan is safe!!! pic.twitter.com/jAVHPT7dKx
— JD (@De1Bono) October 10, 2024
Per People:
A Tampa man nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan” is safe after riding out Hurricane Milton in his sailboat.
In videos shared by journalists on X (formerly known as Twitter) late on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the man — who has been named after the character played by actor Gary Sinise in the 1994 hit movie Forrest Gump — could be seen in his 20-foot boat on the water after the hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm.
Kevin O’Donnell, an anchor for local media outlet FOX 13 News, posted a clip with the caption, “Lieutenant Dan” UPDATE: He survived to talk about his wild night riding out Hurricane Milton on his 20 ft sailboat. #LieutenantDan #HurricaneMilton.”
In the video, O’Donnell zooms in on the boat as the man — whose real name is Joseph Malinowski — asks, “Hi, how you doing? It’s Lieutenant Dan.”
“How are you doing?” O’Donnell responds. “How’s the ride?”
“Lieutenant Dan” on his sailboat. GOFUNDME
Anderson Cooper Struck by Flying Debris from Hurricane Milton During Live News Report: ‘That Wasn’t Good’
“The water’s gone?” Malinowski replies.ADVERTISEMENT“Yeah it’s going out … It’s being pulled out,” O’Donnell adds, before asking him how he is doing.
“I’m doing fine,” Malinowski responds.
Hang in there, Lieutenant Dan! Defeat Hurricane Milton, or Mike Tyson will. pic.twitter.com/LDCQAiW9ma
— parachutesBTC (@parachutesBTC) October 10, 2024
Per WFLA:
A Tampa man who goes by the nickname “Lt. Dan” and who went viral across social media for refusing to evacuate his boat ahead of Milton has survived the storm.
NewsNation’s Brian Entin went to check on him late Wednesday night after the storm had swept through.
“I’m fine,” he told Entin.
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