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A viral man from Florida, “Lieutenant Dan”, survives Milton, Helene aboard a sailboat in Tampa

A viral man from Florida, “Lieutenant Dan”, survives Milton, Helene aboard a sailboat in Tampa

A viral man from Florida, “Lieutenant Dan”, survives Milton, Helene aboard a sailboat in Tampa

A Tampa man who refused to leave the sailboat he lives on survived Hurricane Milton.

Joseph Malinowski went viral online before the storm made landfall.

People nicknamed him “Lieutenant Dan”, like the Forrest Gump character.

Watch: Flooding along the St. Johns remain a major concern after Hurricane Milton

He lives in a 20-foot sailboat and refused to evacuate.

Reporters found him once Milton died and he said he had a “mellow” night.

Watch: Coast Guard rescues man clinging to cooler 30 miles off Florida coast

“I wasn’t going anywhere, so I wasn’t worried. It was fine,” Malinowski said.

Malinowski also stayed on his sailboat during Hurricane Helene.

Read: Hurricane Milton: How to help storm victims

He said that Helene tested him more than Milton.

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