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How Florida’s ‘Lieutenant Dan’ survived Hurricane Milton in his sailboat, ‘God told me to…’
Regardless of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s grave evacuation warning to residents forward of Hurricane Milton, one man determined to not depart his sailboat. Authorities mentioned they provided to assist him evacuate, however he was decided to remain put.
The person, nicknamed Lieutenant Dan after the character performed by actor Gary Sinise in Forrest Gump, went viral on TikTok for refusing to depart the sailboat. In actual fact, folks even startedreplacing wagers on whether or not he would reside or die. Happily, Lieutenant Dan has now survived the hurricane, in response to social media posts.
‘God informed me to return out right here and get a ship’
In a video shared on TikTok by person Terrence Concannon on Tuesday, October 8, Lieutenant Dan, whose actual title is reportedly Joseph Malinowski, informed an interviewer why he selected to remain in his 20-foot boat regardless of the hazard.
“My religion in God,” Malinowski mentioned. “God informed me to return out right here and get a ship. I got here out right here and acquired a ship. He’s been telling me within the final two days I’m doing the correct factor. He’s acquired my again. I’m in good condition. We’re gonna trip this one out.”
On being requested if he could be sporting a life jacket, Malinowski mentioned, “Hell no.”
“The most secure place on the earth to be is my boat,” he additional mentioned.
Native officers beforehand mentioned they had been involved about Malinowski’s security. “After a number of conversations, [Malinowski] knowledgeable our officers of plans to evacuate this morning, and we provided our help,” a spokesperson for Tampa police informed Individuals.
“Our precedence is making each effort to maintain our group protected on this storm. Nonetheless,” the police spokeperson continued, “there can be some extent the place the situations will deteriorate to the purpose the place our officers can’t safely get to people which is why we’re making further efforts now,” the assertion added.
Nonetheless, Malinowski refused to depart. Mayor Castor’s spokesperson later mentioned, “Our public security workforce has had a number of conversations with this particular person to steer him to make the choice to go to a shelter for security because the hurricane approaches. At one level [on Wednesday], simply previous to the press convention, he’d agreed to depart his boat, nonetheless, it seems that he has not adopted via.”
Concannon even launched a GoFundMe for Malinowski. The web page reads, “We’re rallying collectively to assist our pricey pal lieutenant Dan who lives on a sailboat and embodies the spirit of a real pirate. He is the kindest soul, by no means asking for something however at all times able to help. His present vessel has seen higher days, and we wish to shock him with a brand new boat to proceed his seafaring adventures. Let’s come collectively and present our help for this modern-day pirate by serving to him get a brand new ship to sail the seas!”
Adin Ross presents Lieutenant Dan a $10000 boat, a Kick deal
In the meantime, Adin Ross provided Malinowski a $10000 boat and a Kick deal. Throughout an October 10 livestream, Ross collaborated with Malinowski through video name. Ross mentioned at one level, “We had been capable of come up… I am going to have the ability to pay for a ship for you. We will get you a pleasant boat within the vary of $50,000 to $100,000, and we’ll get you a full-time Kick deal, which is a livestreaming deal the place you may stream your whole voyages and all of your adventures.”
“And you may have a passive revenue are available in. Yeah, you are going to have a Kick deal – a livestreaming deal – as a way to livestream and join with followers everywhere in the world they usually can actually see your journey, man,” he added.