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TAMPA — While Hurricane Milton led to droves of folks evacuating Florida, seeking safer and dryer areas, one man decided to stay and weather the storm.

That man is known as Lieutenant Dan.

And no, not the popular war hero from "Forrest Gump," but a real man who resides in his boat in Tampa Bay.

Lieutenant Dan, a one-legged sailor who went viral for refusing to leave his boat and seek shelter, successfully outlasted Hurricane Milton.

"(The boat) took a little bit of a beating. It's got some cosmetic damage, but that's about it," said Lieutenant Dan, whose real name is Joseph Malinowski.

When asked by Inside Edition why he decided to stay on his boat, he responded simply.

"Because I live here, and it's all I have," he said.

Although his past involves numerous run-ins with the law and struggles with addiction, he's hopeful his newfound virality will offer him a fresh start.

As for his immediate plans, he just wants to get some sleep.

"I didn't sleep at all last night," Lieutenant Dan said.

Understandable, considering he was weathering the storm from the confines of his small boat.

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Logan Stefanich

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Logan Stefanich is a reporter with KSL.com, covering southern Utah communities, education, business and tech news.