Despite evacuation orders, a man nicknamed Lieutenant Dan is not only refusing to leave Tampa, but he’s staying in the bay, aboard his small boat, in the direct path of Hurricane Milton. Why? Because God told him to.
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TikTok user @terrenceconcannon has uploaded numerous videos of the man, whose given name is Joseph Malinowski, though he’s better-known Lieutenant Dan, after the Forrest Gump character. The nickname is because Joseph’s foot has been amputated, though the Lieutenant Dan character lost both of his legs in the movie.
Florida authorities have repeatedly warned against staying on a boat, or being out in the water at all, not only because of the danger to individuals, but the risk to first responders.
Lieutenant Dan has refused to heed the warnings, insisting that he will remain aboard his vessel. To make matters worse, his craft is a mere 20-foot sailboat.
Terrence, the TikToker who keeps checking on Lieutenant Dan, has uploaded numerous videos which have gained popularity all over social media. It’s unclear whether Terrence has also chosen to stay in Tampa.
Unfortunately, when Terrence asked if he would wear a life jacket, at least, Lieutenant Dan answered, “Hell no.” When asked whether he expects to be able swim in hurricane currents, including a possible five-foot storm surge, Lieutenant Dan replied that he’ll swim in circles.
Amid growing concern with each video posted, when asked why he refuses to evacuate, Lieutenant Dan has proclaimed, “God sent me here. He told me to come here.”
Though he never gives a reason as to why God would send him into Tampa Bay on a modest sailboat with a deadly hurricane approaching, or for what purpose God insists he stays onboard, he states that “anybody who tries to get me out of here, they’re not of God because God told me this is where I’m supposed to be.”
In one video, he claims that like Noah on his Ark during the Biblical flood, “the safest place to be is on my boat.”
However, he has said multiple times that he’d disembark on one condition. “The only thing I’d give the boat up for is a girl.” He also allowed that he would accept an offered hotel stay, provided a woman was included.
Terrence has set up a GoFundMe for Lieutenant Dan, where people have donated funds out of sympathy or, perhaps, pity. Still, many wonder whether Lieutenant Dan’s stubborn refusal to evacuate should be rewarded.
For his part, Lieutenant Dan accepts the donations with gratitude, saying “I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.”
In a somewhat ironic twist, he added that he intends to use the funds to buy a bigger boat, something that obviously won’t happen until after the hurricane, if indeed he survives it. “I need something like a 35 foot,” he honestly stated.
In case you’re wondering, he has already made over $20,000.
However, not everyone is pleased with Lieutenant Dan. Some people have alleged he was arrested for hitting an EMT with a violin. Should a person who tunes his violin in such a unique way be rewarded for refusing to evacuate during a hurricane?
There’s also been confusion about whether he’s still in place. Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor announced at a press conference earlier today that Lieutenant Dan had been taken to a shelter, but Brian Entin of News Nation has disputed this claim, and posted a video of him, still in his boat, as proof.
The misinformation likely arose because police officers may have reported to the bay with intent to relocate Lieutenant Dan, but he may ultimately have decided not to go.
What will happen next? Will Lieutenant Dan evacuate? Will he survive? We only hope all ends well and that everyone, including Lieutenant Dan, stays safe from the worst of Hurricane Milton.