Meet the Florida Men Who Crawled Out of the Woodwork Amid Hurricane Milton

As natural disasters like Milton wreak deadly havoc, they also spotlight a unique Sunshine State phenomenon: The Florida Man.

By Alex DeLuca

October 10, 2024

Image: A photo of one-legged Tampa man Joseph Malinowski (better known as "Lieutenant Dan"), who became an overnight sensation while insisting to ride out the hurricane aboard his small sailboat in Tampa Bay.

Here's an incomplete list of all the Florida Men who crawled out of the woodwork ahead of Hurricane Milton. Screenshot via The National Desk/YouTube

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Having spawned a deadly spate of tornadoes across the state as it approached, Hurricane Milton roared ashore near Sarasota last night as a major Category 3 storm — leaving extensive property damage and more than 3.4 million homes and businesses without power. The storm brought record rainfall and life-threatening storm surges across a large swath of the Gulf Coast.

But as natural disasters like Milton wreak their deadly havoc, they also spotlight a unique Sunshine State phenomenon: The Florida Man.

Below, in no particular order, we've assembled a list of characters who crawled out of the woodwork ahead of Hurricane Milton:

Lieutenant Dan

One-legged Tampa resident Joseph Malinowski, better known as "Lieutenant Dan," became an overnight sensation for insisting that he would ride out Milton aboard his small sailboat in Tampa Bay.

Malinowski — who, WUFT News helpfully informed us, boasts a lengthy rap sheet, including an arrest tied to an allegation that he attempted to set a woman on fire — survived the night, according to several media outlets.

"I slept like a baby," he's said to have said.

For everyone worried about “Lieutenant Dan” - I just talked to him. His real name is Joseph Malinowski.
He says he is going to stay on his sailboat in the Tampa Bay. pic.twitter.com/UJWE7EAazt
— Brian Entin (@BrianEntin) October 9, 2024

Mike Smalls Jr.

After infamous pro-Trump streamer Adin Ross allegedly offered $70,000 to people who livestreamed through Hurricane Milton, Tampa influencer Mike Smalls Jr. accepted the challenge and camped outside during the storm with an air mattress, a package of ramen, and an umbrella.

Smalls later called out Ross for reneging on the offer.

A Kick streamer is currently attempting to survive Hurricane Milton in an Air Mattress for Adin's $70,000 Prize 💀 pic.twitter.com/DW6GaEkxgL
— Adin Updates (@AdinUpdatess) October 9, 2024

But wait! There's more! Ross has apparently decided to throw Smalls a $10K bone in recognition of our Florida Man finding shelter from the storm.

Adin Ross said he’s proud of me for going viral for the hurricane challnege and peaking at 20K live viewers. He also said he’s sending me $10K 👀. Y’all think he really gonna go thru with it? 🤣 @adinross pic.twitter.com/KNsefUMpKs
— Mike Smalls (@MikeSmallsJr1) October 10, 2024

Mohammed Nijem

Tampa resident Mohammed Nijem secured his entire one-story home to the ground in preparation for the storm, as shown in a photo shared online by Spectrum Bay News 9.

"*slaps house*

'That’s not going anywhere,'" one person joked on X (formerly Twitter).

Viewer Mohammed Nijem is getting prepped for Hurricane Milton. pic.twitter.com/4WuexigBFp
— Spectrum Bay News 9 (@BN9) October 8, 2024

Unbothered Florida Man/Jogger

Hours before the Category 3 storm made landfall, a shirtless man was seen jogging (seemingly unbothered) in the background of News Nation correspondent Brian Entin's live report from Tampa.

"That's a Florida Man for ya right there, jogging in the hurricane!" Entin marveled as the man trotted past.

.@BrianEntin just found Florida Man going for a jog in Tampa as Cat 3 Milton approaches. @NewsNation pic.twitter.com/TdGQwPazFx
— Austin Kellerman (@AustinKellerman) October 9, 2024

Person in Dinosaur Costume at Southernmost Point

Around 11 p.m. Wednesday night, more than 300 miles away from Milton's evil eye, a person dressed in an inflatable dinosaur costume popped up on Key West's Southernmost Point live cam.

Me: "Let me check the Key West webcams to see how things are going..."

Key West: pic.twitter.com/Ckd5SZjPGh
— Holden Satterwhite (@hesatter) October 10, 2024

Formula 1 Florida Man

Shortly before Milton made landfall, a person in a white SUV was seen doing doughnuts through a flooded Tampa parking lot.

"He’s currently on lap 4," a person wrote on X alongside video of the stunt.

downtown Tampa at the moment before hurricane milton hits. he’s currently on lap 4 pic.twitter.com/1gD0X5zhjz
— Chris McGovern (@chrismcgovern20) October 9, 2024

CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper (Honorable Mention)

Indefatigable CNN anchor/storm chaser Anderson Cooper earns Honorary Florida Man status for getting himself doinked in the head by flying debris while reporting live from Bradenton as Milton made landfall with 120 mph wind gusts and heavy rainfall.

“Okay, that wasn’t good,” said Cooper. “Um, we’ll probably go inside shortly...."

“That wasn’t good”: Anderson Cooper gets whacked by debris whilst reporting at the water’s edge. #HurricaneMilton pic.twitter.com/T8pAh6SwpZ
— 𝚂𝚎á𝚗 𝙾’𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚊 Global News (@ConsumerSOS) October 10, 2024

Alex DeLuca is a Miami New Times staff writer who focuses on news, crime, and public safety, education, and cannabis. Prior to joining New Times in June 2020, Alex worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and freelanced for The Appeal. She holds a bachelor's degree from the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida.

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