Internet bets on one-legged Florida man ‘Lieutenant Dan’s fate as he faces Hurricane Milton on 20-ft boat
TAMPA, FLORIDA: The one-legged Florida man who made headlines for refusing to leave his boat in Tampa Bay and take shelter from the approaching Hurricane Milton, has people presently placing bets online on whether he would make it.
Nicknamed 'Lieutenant Dan,' 54-year-old Joseph Malinowski is a Tampa local who became viral after University of Tampa senior Terrence Concannon shared his story on TikTok, reported NBC News on Wednesday, October 9.
Malinowski's determination has concerned netizens as well as law enforcement officials who had previously announced that they were able to convince him to take shelter. However, that information turned out to be inaccurate.
Florida man dubbed Lieutenant Dan online says He plans to ride out category 5 Hurricane Milton in Tampa Bay. People are actually replacing wagers on whether he’ll live or die.#hurricaneMilton #MILTON #FloridaFlooding #florida #hurricaneMiltom #HurricaneWarning #FloridaMan pic.twitter.com/4hy2dxhU16
— That Guy Shane (@ProfanityNewz) October 8, 2024
Internet places wager on 'Lieutenant Dan' riding out storm
As the Florida man faces imminent danger, people online have wagered on whether he would survive the natural disaster. As of Tuesday, October 8, 66% of people felt Malinowski would survive the storm, while 34% did not hold out hopes for him.
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday night near Siesta Key, on Florida's central west coast, reported CBS News. According to the National Hurricane Center, it is a "dangerous Category 3" which sustained winds of 120 mph at landfall.
Though the strength of the storm diminished as it moved inland, people in the Tampa and St Petersburg areas were asked to shelter in place as "extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds" were spreading through the area.
Joseph Malinowski plans to leave his boat if things get worse
After law enforcement officials falsely claimed that they were successful in making Malinowski leave his boat, the latter told NBC News over call, "I’m still on my boat. I’m still afloat, and the rain’s coming down kind of hard, but that’s about it."
"I don’t know, I don’t understand why everybody’s concerned. I’ve been doing this for years, and nobody was ever concerned the previous times," he continued. "Don’t get me wrong, if I start bouncing around and I start hearing things crack and break, I’m getting the hell out of here. But if it’s just wind and some heavy rain, I can deal with that.”
NEW: Florida man 'Lieutenant Dan,' who refuses to evacuate his 20-foot sailboat in Tampa Bay ahead of Hurricane Milton, has raised over $18K so far
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) October 9, 2024
Joe Sea shared a video explaining that "GOD" told him to "come out here and get a boat." "He's got my back. I'm in good shape. I'm… pic.twitter.com/peVp4kV9Vl
GoFundMe for Lieutenant Dan's 'seafaring dreams'
Concannon, who made 'Lt Dan' go viral over social media, opened up a page for him on the crowdfunding platform GoFundMe, so that he can acquire a new boat as the motor of his current one has been damaged.
As of Wednesday, the platform has raised over $30,600 for the Malinowski. An update from the organizer thanked donors for the "overwhelming" support and shared any fund left over from getting a new boat would go towards supporting Malinowski's everyday expenses.
