TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa man who goes by the nickname “Lt. Dan” has caused a flurry of online concern for his safety during Hurricane Milton.
Lt. Dan, whose real name is Joseph Malinowski, went viral from videos posted by TikTok user Tampa Terrence, which gained a large following of people who were worried because he refused to evacuate the sailboat in which he was living.
When encountered by NewsNation’s Brian Entin, Malinowski said he was “fine” and would not leave his boat.
“I’m not going anywhere because the safest place to be is on a boat in a flood,” he said. “We learned that with Noah. Everyone who stayed on land drowned. Noah and the animals lived.”
Days before the hurricane, Malinowski rejected offers of help from people and was even visited by Tampa police Chief Lee Bercaw, who asked him to leave.
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to leave for his safety as Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 09, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes just after the recent catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) -
TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to leave for his safety as Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 09, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes just after the recent catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) -
TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to leave for his safety as Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 09, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes just after the recent catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) -
TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to leave for his safety as Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 09, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes just after the recent catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
However, the man continued to refuse to evacuate hours before Hurricane Milton was supposed to make landfall.
“You’re all robots,” Malinowski said. “You’re all sheep, following the masses.”
He said he also rode out Hurricane Helene in the same boat last month.
At a Wednesday midday press conference, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said Tampa police rescued “Lt. Dan” and took him to a shelter that morning.
However, Entin reported that as of 2 p.m. ET, Dan was still in his boat, not a shelter.
“He is here,” Entin told Nexstar’s WFLA. “He is definitely on the boat. We can see him. He keeps popping his head out, and I just saw his hand.”
Tampa police Chief Lee Bercaw said officers were still trying to get residents in evacuation zones as late as Wednesday morning.
“Everyone that needs to be evacuated is a momentous task,” Bercaw said. “All of our officers are out there and assisting.”
According to the chief, one elderly woman had to be convinced to evacuate on Wednesday.
“Her plan was to stay in her house with a flotation device and attempt to weather the storm, and my fear is that there are more of her that are like that,” Bercaw said.
