8 months ago
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TAMPA, Fla. (NewsNation) — A Tampa, Florida, antheral who goes by the nickname "Lt. Dan" and who went viral connected societal media for refusing to evacuate his vessel up of Hurricane Milton has survived the storm.
NewsNation's Brian Entin went to cheque connected him precocious Wednesday nighttime aft the tempest had swept through.
"I'm fine," helium told Entin.
Lt. Dan, whose existent sanction is Joseph Malinowski, went viral from videos posted by TikTok idiosyncratic Tampa Terrence, which gained a ample pursuing of radical who were disquieted due to the fact that helium refused to evacuate the sailboat wherever helium was living. Like the fashionable quality from "Forrest Gump" who refused to permission his vessel during a monolithic storm, Tampa's Lt. Dan is missing a leg.
"I'm not going anyplace due to the fact that the safest spot to beryllium is connected a vessel successful a flood," helium said up of the storm. "We learned that with Noah. Everyone who stayed connected onshore drowned. Noah and the animals lived."
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa constabulary effort to transportation a section nonmigratory who is surviving connected his vessel known arsenic Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to permission for his information arsenic Tampa prepares for the accomplishment of Hurricane Milton connected October 09, 2024 successful Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes conscionable aft the caller catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 tempest arsenic it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to marque landfall precocious Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa constabulary effort to transportation a section nonmigratory who is surviving connected his vessel known arsenic Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to permission for his information arsenic Tampa prepares for the accomplishment of Hurricane Milton connected October 09, 2024 successful Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes conscionable aft the caller catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 tempest arsenic it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to marque landfall precocious Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa constabulary effort to transportation a section nonmigratory who is surviving connected his vessel known arsenic Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to permission for his information arsenic Tampa prepares for the accomplishment of Hurricane Milton connected October 09, 2024 successful Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes conscionable aft the caller catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 tempest arsenic it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to marque landfall precocious Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa constabulary effort to transportation a section nonmigratory who is surviving connected his vessel known arsenic Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to permission for his information arsenic Tampa prepares for the accomplishment of Hurricane Milton connected October 09, 2024 successful Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes conscionable aft the caller catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 tempest arsenic it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to marque landfall precocious Wednesday. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Days earlier the hurricane, Malinowski rejected offers of assistance from radical and was adjacent visited by Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, who asked him to leave.
However, the antheral continued to garbage to evacuate hours earlier Hurricane Milton was expected to marque landfall.
"You're each robots," Malinowski said. "You're each sheep, pursuing the masses."
At a Wednesday midday property conference, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said Tampa constabulary rescued "Lt. Dan" and took him to a structure that morning. However, helium made it backmost to his vessel by afternoon.
"He is here," Entin said. "He is decidedly connected the boat. We tin spot him. He keeps popping his caput out, and I conscionable saw his hand."
Milton barreled into the Atlantic Ocean connected Thursday aft plowing crossed Florida, pounding cities with ferocious winds and rain, and whipping up a barrage of tornadoes. It compounded the misery wrought by Helene portion sparing Tampa a nonstop hit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
