5 Things to Know About TikTok's Lieutenant Dan After Hurricane Milton

Viral TikTok sensation Lieutenant Danwhose real name is Joe Malinowski, caused concern when he revealed he had no plans to abandon his 22-foot sailboat even though it was parked in the path of Hurricane Milton in Tampa Bay, Florida.

“Right now I'm waiting for the storm surge to come in to raise the boat,” Lt. Dan calmly explained in a post posted to TikTok on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the same day Milton near Siesta Key in Sarasota County landed 65 miles from Tampa. “The boat will go up, and I will go up in it, and when the water runs out, I will come back down.”

Lt. Dan's decision to “ride out” the storm on his boat came after the National Hurricane Center warned that the storm surge in Milton could inundate Tampa with 10 to 15 feet of water. Mayor of Tampa Jane Castor warned during an appearance on CNN that people who do not leave mandatory evacuation zones will “die.” However, Lieutenant Dan made it through safely.

“I’m fine,” he told a NewsNation reporter after the storm, according to CBS News.

Keep scrolling to learn all about unlikely TikTok star Lieutenant Dan:

Why didn't Lieutenant Dan evacuate?

The tattooed sailor explained his decision to stay put in a Tuesday, Oct. 8, video shared by TikToker Terrence Concannon, also known as Tampa Terrence.

“I trust in God. I don’t trust people,” Dan said. “God told me to come out here and get a boat. I came here and got a boat. Everything he has said to me in the last few days shows that I am doing the right thing. He turned his back on me. I'm doing well. I’m not worried.”

Lieutenant Dan's decision worried those who followed his story online because Milton's predicted storm surge, which refers to a rise in sea water levels caused by a storm, was up to 15 feet for Tampa. That, combined with wind gusts of up to 120 miles per hour, put Dan's followers on edge.

But after the storm, the National Weather Service meteorologist said Tyler Fleming told USA today that Tampa instead experienced a reverse wave that pushed the water away from the shore.

Lieutenant Dan previously spent Hurricane Helene huddled on his boat in September 2024.

Why was Lieutenant Dan allowed to stay on his sailboat during Hurricane Milton?

On October 8, Tampa Terrence released footage of Tampa Police Chief Lt. Dan telling him that the evacuation order was not “voluntary” and that police officers would return to escort him from his boat if he did not leave. Mayor Castor said during a press conference on Oct. 9 that Lt. Dan had been taken to an emergency shelter, WFLA reported. However, he returned to his boat later that day.

“Dan isn’t leaving the boat because of the hurricane. He stays on this boat. There were many attempts to get him off that boat. People have offered houses, hotel rooms and apartments, he won’t leave,” Terrence explained in an Oct. 9 TikTok video.

How did Lieutenant Dan get his nickname?

Lieutenant Dan's nickname is a reference to the character of the same name Forrest Gumpwho was also amputated from seafaring. While the fictional character is played by Gary Sinise Although he lost his legs after an injury in the Vietnam War, the real Lieutenant Dan had his left leg amputated below the knee after a car accident at age 16. He told the story in a TikTok video shared by Tampa Terrence on October 8.

Does Lieutenant Dan have a criminal history?

Tampa news outlet WUFT reported Monday, Oct. 9, that Lt. Dan spent six months behind bars for allegedly punching a police officer and was arrested in 2023 on charges he attempted to drive a woman into gasoline to set fire. The station, a PBS member television station, also reported that Lieutenant Dan has a court date in October 2024 over a dispute over whether his sailboat is legally his.

Does Lieutenant Dan have a GofundMe?

Tampa Terrence set up a GoFundMe page for the colorful character last month, seeking funds to cover Lieutenant Dan's “daily living expenses” and “general living expenses.” In the description, he noted that the money raised would be used for boat repairs, groceries, “furniture for the boat and maybe even a gym membership.” The GoFundMe has raised over $39,000 so far and has a goal of $100,000.