TAMPA, Fla. — College of Tampa senior Terrence Concannon was strolling his typical route from faculty in mid-September when he encountered one thing out of the strange: a person in a sailboat, caught within the wind and being dragged out to sea.
“Not a single individual would assist me,” Concannon recalled the person explaining after the rescue. “All of them assume I’m loopy or one thing.”
However Concannon advised NBC Information that he did assist, dragging a rope and pulling 54-year-old Tampa, Florida, resident Joseph Malinowski safely again to the dock — the place he vowed to remain, rain or shine.
The encounter was the start of what would change into a viral saga and nationwide information story, with Concannon documenting Malinowski’s willpower to remain on his boat by Hurricane Helene, and now Hurricane Milton, for tens of millions of TikTok viewers.
Observe reside updates on Hurricane Milton
As Hurricane Milton barrels towards Tampa, the place it’s forecast to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday, social media followers and native officers have expressed concern for Malinowski, who has refused to depart his sailboat and get to security as of Wednesday afternoon.
Forecasters have warned of a possible life-threatening 15-foot storm surge, and native officers have warned folks in evacuation areas to depart or face the fact of doubtless being killed by the hurricane.
Malinowski, now identified on TikTok as “Lieutenant Dan,” just lately moved to Florida and lives on his 20-foot sailboat on the Tampa Bay Harbor. He mentioned he has been homeless for the previous 10 years — dwelling on the streets, on his scooter and now on his sailboat.
Malinowski mentioned that at 16 years previous he had his leg amputated after he was hit by a automobile. After their encounter, Concannon in contrast Malinowski with Forrest Gump’s Lieutenant Dan, a veteran amputee whose shrimp boat was the one vessel to miraculously make it out of “Hurricane Carmen.”
Malinowski accepted the nickname, telling NBC Information he views it because the “character [he plays] on TikTok.”
Concannon first posted a TikTok video that includes Malinowski captioned “Lieutenant Dan vs Hurricane Helene” on Sept. 25. It’s been considered 1.2 million instances. As viewers flocked to his account, they grew to become more and more involved with — and enthralled by — Malinowski’s story.
“Each single video I posted, I used to be getting 1000’s of feedback being like, ‘The place’s Dan? Verify on Dan,’” Concannon advised NBC Information in an interview Wednesday morning.
As Helene progressed, Concannon continued recurrently checking in on Malinowski, who appeared largely unfazed by the storm. Although Helene ripped by some elements of Florida, Malinowski mentioned he “slept by it.”
“Apart from a few scuff marks on the facet, my boat’s in higher form now than it was earlier than, as a result of it obtained washed,” Malinowski mentioned in a post-Helene TikTok replace. Malinowski has his personal TikTok account which now has over 211,000 followers.
Concannon saved posting movies that includes Malinowski, publishing over 24 updates within the final a number of weeks. He additionally launched a GoFundMe web page for Malinowski that has raised over $22,000 and counting. For “Lieutenant Dan,” the gesture did greater than change his monetary scenario.
“I gave up on this world years in the past as a result of I’ve been alone,” Malinowski mentioned in a post-Helene replace through TikTok. “However Terrence right here posted this video and it began getting likes and folks began realizing perhaps he’s not simply loopy, perhaps he actually does need assistance.”
“Thanks to everyone that donated,” he added in an interview. “I wish to get an even bigger boat, one thing 35-foot, which is properly in my worth vary, and make a house out of it.
However many — together with Concannon — fear “Lieutenant Dan” could not survive Hurricane Milton, forecast because the worst hurricane to hit Tampa in over 100 years.