‘The hand of God was over Tampa’: The legacy of Lieutenant Dan

Florida man Joe Malinowski, known as “Lieutenant Dan,” became a social media sensation overnight for his decision to ride out Hurricane Milton on his 22-foot sailboat despite warnings for all residents of Tampa to evacuate.

While the mayor had threatened to arrest Malinowski, he rode out the storm in his boat — just as he did during Hurricane Helene — and he’s now become a symbol of defiance.

“We have tried so many times with that individual to get him off of that boat, and the officers will eventually just take him into custody, and for his own good, because he’s not to survive in a sailboat in the bay with anywhere from eight to 12 feet of storm surge,” the mayor said.

The mayor had also stated in a previous interview that anyone who stays would die, which turned out not to be the case.

The man remained defiant despite threats and told cameras “that the safest place to be is on a boat in a flood,” while rolling his eyes. “We learned that with Noah. Everybody that stayed on land drowned. Noah and the animals live,” he added.

Malinowski, who is missing his lower left leg, live-streamed his experience and insisted that he had no issues during the storm. As the sun rose over Tampa, he celebrated his survival, stating that “The hand of God was over Tampa.”

Pat Gray of “Pat Gray Unleashed” never saw an issue with Lieutenant Dan’s refusal to leave.

“It’s his choice. He’s an adult. He’s an American,” Gray says.

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