A Florida man caught social media users’ attention after refusing to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton. He stayed on his boat as the storm threatened Tampa Bay despite warnings. Find out what motivated his risky decision and if he survived the century’s worst hurricane.
Hurricane Milton was projected as one of the most catastrophic storms Florida was set to face in over a century. A massive storm surge threatened to flood the Gulf Coast, raising water levels by up to 9 feet in certain areas.
An infographic titled “Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.” | Source: Getty Images
The FOX Forecast Center warned that the storm might even surpass record-breaking surges seen in the past, such as those in the 1848 hurricane and the 1921 storm that devastated much of downtown Tampa and Pinellas County.
Meteorologists did not doubt that Milton would cause widespread damage, urging Floridians to evacuate. “Storm surge is the deadliest aspect of a hurricane,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera said.
A woman preparing for Hurricane Milton. | Source: Getty Image
But amid the warnings, one man refused to leave. A local known as “Lieutenant Dan” had anchored his 20-foot sailboat in Tampa Harbor and was adamant that he would ride out the hurricane.
People watching the weather report ahead of Hurricane Milton. | Source: Getty Images
As the storm approached, he explained why he wouldn’t evacuate, “God told me to come out here and get a boat. I came out here and got a boat, and everything that he’s been telling me over the last two days is I’m doing the right thing,” he said.
“He’s got my back. I’m in good shape. I ain’t sweatin’ it. We’re gonna ride this out one. We got set up the way… we know what we’re doing, and as long as the water keeps rising, we’ll be fine,” Lieutenant Dan continued.
Lieutenant Dan | Source: TikTok/terrenceconcannon
He wasn’t just confident—he was defiant. He even shared that he wouldn’t wear a life jacket during the storm. “The water’s gonna come in, it’s gonna rise. If you’re on land, it’s gonna flood, you’re risking drowning. I’m in a boat,” he shared.
“The boat goes up with the water; so, even if the boat goes up [one] hundred feet in the air, I’m gonna be up [one] hundred feet in the air with the water. […] The safest place in the world to be is on my boat,” Lieutenant Dan added.
He also gave a tour of his modest vessel, which he had outfitted with enough supplies to last him through the night. The boat had a bed, a makeshift living area, and a tiny kitchen stocked with essentials like oatmeal, coffee, Cheez-Its, cases of water, and canned soup.
Inside Lieutenant Dan’s sail boat. | Source: TikTok/terrenceconcannon
While his boat wasn’t perfect, with a few leaks here and there, Lieutenant Dan was confident it would withstand the storm. As he prepared for the hurricane, people warned him of a well-known parable about a man who refused to evacuate during a flood.
Inside Lieutenant Dan’s sail boat. | Source: TikTok/terrenceconcannon
In the story, the man was waiting for God to save him, even though rescue efforts arrived in the form of a car, a boat, and a helicopter. Each time, the man refused help, believing God would intervene directly.
When the man eventually drowned and asked God why He hadn’t saved him, God replied that He had sent help in the form of a car, boat, and helicopter. But Lieutenant Dan wasn’t moved by the cautionary tale.
Lieutenant Dan. | Source: TikTok/terrenceconcannon
“God sent me here. He sent me here. He told me to come here. He told me to be right here for this. So I’m doin’ what he told me to do. So I know he didn’t send nobody to get me out of here,” he stated.
“And anybody that tries to get me out of here, they’re not of God, because God told me that this is where I’m [supposed] to be and that’s why I’m doing it,” he continued.
Lieutenant Dan’s faith was unwavering, and he remained calm in the face of the growing storm, revealing, “This is nothing compared to what I’ve been through.”
Then, Hurricane Milton hit. The hurricane made landfall with destructive force, knocking out power to over three million people across the state. Wind gusts reached 100 mph near Tampa, where a flash flood emergency was declared, and emergency services were halted.
Waves crashing along St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Florida, ahead of Hurricane Milton. | Source: Getty Images
The eye of the storm, after moving overnight from the Tampa Bay area toward Orlando and Cape Canaveral, began exiting the Florida peninsula. But even as the storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, it still battered the coast with strong winds and heavy rains, causing major flooding.
A woman walking through downtown as Hurricane Milton made landfall on October 9, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. | Source: Getty Images
Daytona Beach recorded wind gusts of 83 mph, and the storm surge continued to pose a threat, with waters rising as high as four feet along the coast. In Hillsborough County, where Lieutenant Dan’s boat was anchored, flash flooding stretched inland, mixing with storm surge water from the coast.
Surge waters flooding the street after Hurricane Milton made landfall in the Sarasota area on October 9, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida. | Source: Getty Images
The area received months’ worth of rainfall in just one day. With rivers and creeks swollen and floodwaters creeping further inland, the situation became even more dire. Emergency responders even had to wait until the storm passed before resuming operations.
Heavy rain in Fort Myers, Florida, on October 9, 2024, ahead of Hurricane Milton. | Source: Getty Images
After the storm, many were left wondering what happened to Lieutenant Dan. He had been so confident that his boat would keep him safe, but with the level of devastation left by Hurricane Milton, some feared the worst.
Thankfully, he survived. In a social media update, a user showed that Lieutenant Dan had made it through the storm unharmed and revealed the experience had not been as bad as he had expected.
Despite the dire warnings, his faith and boat carried him through the night. Lieutenant Dan’s conviction and choice to stay aboard during Hurricane Milton proved less dangerous than expected.
