A Tampa man nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan” said in a viral TikTok that he wasn’t going to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Milton and would instead hunker down in his boatTampa Mayor Jane Castor said at a news conference that Dan had been “saved” by authorities and was in a shelterBut authorities subsequently said that Dan had declined to move, though a fundraiser to support him has been launched
Authorities say they offered evacuation help to a Tampa, Fla., resident who recently went viral on TikTok for not leaving his sailboat ahead of Hurricane Milton — but he is staying put.
In a video shared on TikTok by Terrence Concannon on Tuesday, Oct. 8, the man nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan” — after the character played by actor Gary Sinise in the 1994 hit movie Forrest Gump — explains to an interviewer why he wanted to stay in his 20-foot boat despite the imminent threat posed by Milton.
“My faith in God,” Dan said. “God told me to come out here and get a boat. I came out here and got a boat. He’s been telling me in the last two days I’m doing the right thing. He’s got my back. I’m in good shape. We’re gonna ride this one out.”
Asked if he will be wearing a life jacket, Dan says: “Hell no.”
He later added, “The safest place in the world to be is my boat.”
The video about Dan has generated about 43 million views as of Wednesday, Oct. 9, as well as local and national media coverage. Local officials say they became concerned for his safety.
“After several conversations, (Dan) informed our officers of plans to evacuate this morning, and we offered our assistance,” a spokesperson for Tampa police said in a statement to PEOPLE.
“Our priority is making every effort to keep our community safe in this storm. However,” the police spokeperson continued, “there will be a point where the conditions will deteriorate to the point where our officers cannot safely get to individuals which is why we’re making additional efforts now,” their statement continued.
At a news conference about Milton on Wednesday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor initially said that Dan had been “saved” by police and moved to a shelter.
But Brian Entin, a senior national correspondent for the cable network NewsNation, soon said that Dan was still in his boat and shared a photo of the man on the water.
“I know the Mayor of Tampa just said in her press conference that Lieutenant Dan went to a shelter,” Entin wrote in a post on X, which featured a photo of Dan’s head emerging from his covered boat. “He didn’t, I’m standing right here.”
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A spokesperson for the mayor subsequently said in statement to PEOPLE that Dan had apparently chosen to stay in his boat and refused to leave, which was also confirmed by Concannon, the social media user who initially posted the viral video interviewing Dan.
PEOPLE also reached out to Dan via his TikTok account for comment.
“Our public safety team has had multiple conversations with this individual to persuade him to make the decision to go to a shelter for safety as the hurricane approaches,” the mayor’s spokesperson said. “At one point (on Wednesday), just prior to the press conference, he’d agreed to leave his boat, however, it appears that he has not followed through.”
“We encourage all residents to heed the warnings that have been issued for days to evacuate Zones A & B for their safety and for the safety of first responders who must then put their lives at risk to save those who choose not to leave,” the spokesperson said.
Concannon also started a GoFundMe for Dan, which has so far raised some $23,000. “We’re rallying together to help our dear friend lieutenant Dan … He’s the kindest soul, never asking for anything but always ready to lend a hand,” Concannon wrote with the campaign.
“His current vessel has seen better days, and we want to surprise him with a new boat to continue his seafaring adventures,” Concannonon continued. “Let’s come together and show our support for this modern-day pirate by helping him get a new ship to sail the seas!”
Milton, which is currently a Category 3, is about 170 miles southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center as of 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The storm is expected to make landfall along the west-central coast of Florida later in the evening.
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