Before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Tampa, Florida, officials there made an effort to help a man who went by the TikTok handle “Lieutenant Dan.” The man, whose true name is apparently Joseph Malinowski, defied their attempts to disembark from his 20-foot boat and chose instead to weather the storm.
Malinowski was filmed by Terrence Concannon, who uploaded the popular TikTok on October 8 and showed him justifying his choice. Malinowski, who was inspired by the Forrest Gump character, boldly declares his belief in God in the video, saying, “God told me to come out here and acquire a boat. I’m safe with him. We’re going to get through this. He brashly said, “Hell no,” when asked if he would be donning a life jacket, stating that his yacht was the safest place for him to be.
Around 43 million people had viewed the film as of October 9, garnering both local and national interest. Authorities in Tampa were worried about his safety, but Malinowski refused to leave despite multiple attempts to persuade him. The local police said that although they would have helped, they would eventually be unable to get to him due to the storm’s increasing conditions.
Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa first said that Malinowski had been rescued and taken to a shelter during a press conference. Brian Entin, a reporter for NewsNation, swiftly refuted this, posting a picture of Malinowski remaining on his boat as evidence that he had not departed. Later on, the mayor’s office stated that Malinowski had initially decided to depart but ended up staying.
Concannon, the person who first uploaded the popular video, launched a GoFundMe page in support of Malinowski, which raised almost $23,000. The money is meant to assist Malinowski—who has been called a “modern-day pirate”—in buying a new boat because his present one has “seen better days.”
With sustained winds of 120 mph, Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, was predicted to make landfall on Florida’s west-central coast as of October 9. Malinowski made the decision to stay on his boat despite several orders for the locals to leave, putting his faith and the security of his craft at risk.
I Overheard My Husband Telling Our 4-Year-Old to Keep a Secret
Paige, a dedicated career woman, came home from a business trip to overhear her husband, Victor, and their four-year-old son, Mason, discussing a secret. Victor told Mason not to share what he’d seen with Paige, as it would “make her sad.” This unnerved Paige, but she brushed it off, assuming it was something minor.
After more business travel, Paige noticed a small but strange detail in a photo Victor sent — a pair of unfamiliar, high-end shoes in their living room. She shrugged it off at first, but doubt crept in. When she returned home, she caught Victor in bed with another woman, and Mason’s earlier words, “Mommy, don’t go in there; you’ll be sad,” now made devastating sense.
Victor tried to blame Paige’s busy career for his infidelity, arguing he needed “human contact.” Heartbroken and realizing the weight her son had carried in keeping this secret, Paige confronted her marriage’s painful reality. Supported by her family, she asked Victor to leave, choosing to divorce and rebuild her life for her and Mason.
Through it all, Paige resolved to prioritize her own and her son’s well-being, even amid the pain of betrayal.
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