Who Is ‘Lieutenant Dan’ Joseph Malinowski? TikTok Star Who Survived Hurricane Milton in Sailboat

Lieutenant Dan, whose real name is Joseph Malinowski, shot to viral fame on TikTok after revealing he had no plans to evacuate for Hurricane Milton, choosing instead to ride out the storm on his sailboat.

Who Is ‘Lieutenant Dan’ Joesph Malinowski?

Lieutenant Dan stirred up online attention after University of Tampa senior Terrence Concannon posted videos of the 54-year-old firmly refusing to evacuate despite warnings about the impending catastrophic storm. He has since gathered over 575,000 followers on TikTok, and his latest video has received more than 6 million views.

Terrance explained that the nickname “Lieutenant Dan” comes from the veteran amputee character in Forrest Gump. He told NBC News that Joseph had his left leg amputated at 16 years old after getting hit by a car and called the moniker the “character [he plays] on TikTok.

“I put my faith in God. I don’t put my faith in man,” Joseph explained in a video posted before the storm. “God told me to come out here and get a boat. I came out here and got a boat. Everything he’s been telling me the last few days, I’m doing the right thing. He got my back. I’m in good shape. I ain’t sweating it.”

According to WFLA, on October 9, 2024, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor announced in a press conference that officers had rescued the TikTok star and taken him to a shelter. However, reporters found him at his boat just hours later.

“Dan is not leaving the boat for the hurricane. He is staying on that boat. There’s been many attempts to get him off this boat,” Terrance explained in another video. “People have offered houses, hotel rooms, apartments, he will not leave.”

Is ‘Lieutenant Dan’ Joesph Malinowski Safe After the Storm?

A group of concerned Tampa residents checked on Joesph after the storm on October 10, 2024, according to USA Today. “You made it! I’m so glad you’re safe,” Tampa resident Monet Rahall, whose home was nearby. “He’s an icon. I saw him on the Internet and wanted to see him for myself.”

“The hand of god was over Tampa,” Joseph told the outlet as he raised his arm in triumph. “It wasn’t too bad.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has also ignited, raising more than $40,000 at the time of publication. “We’re rallying together to help our dear friend lieutenant Dan who lives on a sailboat and embodies the spirit of a true pirate. He’s the kindest soul, never asking for anything but always ready to lend a hand,” the fundraiser detailed. “His current vessel has seen better days, and we want to surprise him with a new boat to continue his seafaring adventures. Let’s come together and show our support for this modern-day pirate by helping him get a new ship to sail the seas!”

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In a later update, the fundraiser stated that any funds left over after replacing Dan’s boat could support his everyday living expenses, adding, “His general livelihood; things like groceries, furnishings for the boat, and maybe even a gym membership (something he’s wanted for a long time).”