Viral Florida Man 'Lieutenant Dan' Hasn't Left His Boat Amid Hurricane Milton Fears, State Says (UPDATE)

UPDATED 10/10, 2:19 p.m. ET: Lieutenant Dan, the Florida resident who refused to evacuate his boat in Tampa Bay, has survived Hurricane Milton’s landfall.

Speaking with Kevin O'Donnell, a reporter at Fox 13, Malinowski stated that the experience was not as bad as he expected it to be.

“Was it as bad as you thought?” O’Donnell asked, to which Malinowski replied “No.”

See original story below.

As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s coast, many residents are taking to social media to explain their choice to evacuate or not. A subset of locals are staunchly in the “I will not leave” bucket, including a one-legged man known as “Lieutenant Dan,” who has gone viral for refusing to leave his 20-foot boat in Tampa Harbour.

Who Is Lieutenant Dan?

His name isn’t actually Lieutenant Dan. According to Newsnation senior national correspondent Brian Entin, the sailor’s real name is Joseph Malinowski. The name the internet gave him, however, is extremely fitting. It’s a reference to Forrest Gump, in which a character, also named Lieutenant Dan, survived a hurricane on the back of his shrimping boat. Sound familiar?

Lieutenant Dan, also referred to as Joe Sea, has gained notoriety across TikTok and Twitter for his decision to ride out the storm like his fictitious counterpart in Forrest Gump did, receiving millions of views across multiple videos shared by TikToker Tampa Terrence.

He remains resolute in his decision to stay, in one video stating “boats float.”

Why Won't He Leave The Boat?

Concerned viewers have urged Lieutenant Dan to leave the boat and get a hotel room to no avail. In one video, he mentions that God told him to stay.

"God told me to come out here and get a boat, I came out here and got a boat," he said. "And everything that he's been telling me over the last few days is that I'm doing the right thing. He's got my back. I'm in good shape."

When asked if he was going to wear a life jacket, he dismissed the idea, saying he'll swim "in circles" if necessary.

In another viral clip posted to X by Entin, Lieutenant Dan said he’s “gonna be fine” and equated his chances of survival to Noah’s arc.

“I have a secured anchor point,” Dan said. “I’m tied to the boat. If the tide goes up, I go up. As long as the water stays out of the boat, I’ll be fine. It’s not a tornado. I’m not going to get lifted up and thrown into the canvases. It’s not like that, and I’m not suicidal. I’m putting it in God’s hands and taking it out of mine and man’s. I’m sitting tight, I’ll let it play out. [...] I love you all, and I thank you for the concern. I’m not nutty, I’m just doing what my father told me to do and I’m doing it and I'm being me. I don’t go with the grain, I’m against the grain because you’re all robots. You’re all sheep, following the masses. I’m the black sheep. I’m the one who does what I think is right.”

The Internet Has Thoughts

Observers from around the world are stressing out for Lieutenant Dan. Terrence has even set up a GoFundMe.

Is Lieutenant Dan Safe?

According to a press conference on October 9 with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Lieutenant Dan was evacuated.

“The Tampa Police Department, this morning, just saved Lieutenant Dan," Castor said. "He has been rescued, and he is now in a shelter as well. If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anybody to do that."

However, Entin posted to X right after the mayor’s announcement stating that Lieutenant Dan was still on his boat. “I know the Mayor of Tampa just said in her press conference that Lieutenant Dan went to a shelter. He didn’t, I’m standing right here,” the post reads.

Complex reached out to Florida’s Fire and Police departments regarding Lieutenant Dan’s safety. Complex also called Tampa mayor Jane Castor’s offices, but we were told they are currently closed. However, while Castor said in that October 9 press conference that Dan has been “saved” and moved to a shelter, the state’s media relations team said otherwise.

“Our public safety team is continuing conversations with this individual, working to persuade him to make the decision to go to a shelter for safety as the hurricane approaches,” Crystal Clark, Tampa’s media relations manager, told Complex in an email. “At one point today, just prior to the press conference, he’d agreed to leave his boat, however, it appears that he has not followed through. We encourage all residents to heed the warnings that have been issued for days and evacuate Zones A & B for their safety and for the safety of first responders who must then put their lives at risk to save those who choose not to leave.”

Hurricane Milton: A Growing Threat

The situation in Florida is becoming increasingly urgent. Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late on October 9. According to the latest forecasts, it could hit Florida sometime between 10 P.M. and midnight, local time.

The National Guard is mobilizing search-and-rescue teams, while schools, businesses, and airports are shutting down in anticipation of the storm. In the wake of Hurricane Helene just weeks earlier, many are bracing for the potential impact of Milton, including a projected storm surge of around 20 feet.

Local residents have been mandated to evacuate or suffer deadly consequences.

“I can say without any dramatization whatsoever: If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re gonna die,” Mayor Jane Castor said.