A Florida man known as "Lieutenant Dan," who lives on a sailboat and has one leg, made it through Hurricane Milton unscathed, despite the mayor's statement that he had taken shelter before the storm hit.

The sailor, whose real name is Joseph Malinowski, stayed aboard his boat as the storm, initially a Category 5 hurricane, approached Tampa. The storm later made landfall south of the city as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of up to 120 mph.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor mentioned during a Wednesday press conference that local police had successfully convinced "Lieutenant Dan" to go to a shelter. "He has been rescued and is now in a shelter. If we can get Lieutenant Dan to a shelter, we can get anyone to do the same," she assured reporters.

Joseph Malinowski, better known as "Lieutenant Dan."
Joseph Malinowski, better known as "Lieutenant Dan," was seen on his modest sailboat, which was anchored in Tampa Bay. Brian Entin/X

However, not long after, Malinowski was seen on his small boat docked in Tampa Bay. NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin tweeted a picture of Malinowski standing on his boat, pointing out that the sailor had never left, contradicting the mayor's statement.

Entin checked on Malinowski again after Hurricane Milton passed through, finding his boat still tied to a dock in Tampa Bay, where the storm had caused the water levels to drop significantly. In a video posted online, Entin called out to Lieutenant Dan, who emerged from the cabin and confirmed he was fine, though stuck due to the low water levels.

Residents On Florida's West Coast Prepare For Hurricane Milton
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Tampa police try to persuade a local resident who is living on his boat known as Jay and nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan,” to leave for his safety as Tampa prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton on October 09, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Milton, which comes just after the recent catastrophic Hurricane Helene, has strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall late Wednesday. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Malinowski participated in a livestream with TikTok personalities, including Tampa Terrence, as the storm moved through the Gulf Coast. During the stream, he casually mentioned being thrown against the walls of his boat a few times due to the strong winds, but considered it normal for such conditions.

@terrenceconcannon @JoeSea ♬ original sound - Tampa Terrence

Tampa Terrence reassured viewers, saying, "Dan is alive and doing well." Despite the mayor's claims, Malinowski had stayed on his boat throughout the entire storm. He later commented, "The safest place in a flood is on a boat. If the water rises, so do I, as long as it stays out of the boat."