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A girl who says she’s the daughter of Joseph Malinowski, 54 — a Tampa, Florida man who went viral and was dubbed “Lieutenant Dan” for his choice to journey out the approaching hurricanes Helene and Milton on his boat — is nervous that his sudden fame and donations from wellwishers will put her father in danger.
Ashley Ann Malinowski voiced her concern in a sequence of TikToks on Friday.
“Lieutenant Dan was doing simply positive with out all that cash,” she advised viewers in a single video.
“Y’all TikTok f***ing well-known individuals, y’all blowing him up and he’s gonna be lifeless earlier than he can f***ing take pleasure in that boat and stuff. As a result of take a look at him, after y’all acquired a maintain of him and now he’s excessive as f*** on all these movies.”
His sudden viral fame would put him in an “early grave” she continued.
“Sure, I’m his f***ing daughter and I needed to preserve tabs on that man for 10 years making an attempt to make it possible for he’s alive, and now he’s gonna get all of this and doubtless find yourself lifeless due to it.”
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Joseph Malinowski turned the topic of social media fascination and a number of high-profile information interviews when an area TikTok creator featured the Florida man, who stated he would try to attend out the approaching storms.
“I don’t concern the storm,” Malinowski advised NBC Information in an interview from his boat. “I don’t concern something however the authorities, the police, the mayor — everyone seems to be making an attempt to get me to go away within the worst manner.”
Tampa officers briefly took him to a shelter on Wednesday, although he reportedly returned to his boat the identical day.
Terrence Concannon, the TikTok creator who initially shared Malinowski’s story forward of the approaching Hurricane Helene, ultimately posted a GoFundMe web page for him, which was quickly inundated with greater than $46,000 in donations.
Video creator Adin Ross additionally caught wind of Malinowski, and provided him a streaming deal and upwards of $50,000 to purchase a brand new boat.
Concannon, in a TikTok of his personal on Friday, stated he’d gotten “quite a few dying threats” after serving to make “Lieutenant Dan,” named for the character in Forrest Gump, go viral.
“It was by no means speculated to be this complete factor,” Concannon stated, describing Malinowski as a person whom he befriended and hoped to assist get some cash for a brand new boat and transportation.
Concannon stated Malinowski lacked a authorities ID, which was making it troublesome to switch the entire funds to him, however that he was working with Tampa Police to treatment the scenario.
As The Unbiased reported, Malinowski has a prolonged prison file.
As lately as August, he was charged with a misdemeanor for promoting, working or utilizing a vessel with out certificates of title in Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa. That case remains to be open.
Native Florida outlet WUFT reported that in April 2022, Malinowski was launched after a one-year jail sentence in a felony case for punching a police officer within the nostril.
In February of 2023, Malinowski allegedly poured a one-gallon container of gasoline onto a bench throughout an argument with a lady who was smoking close by, igniting it, in response to an affidavit seen by The Unbiased. Malinowski then “splashed” the lady with gasoline, in response to the doc. The girl was unhurt, however stated she “feared for her life.”
A choose later ordered Malinowski to accommodate arrest and famous his “violent historical past,” however a number of reviews notice that the case was dropped a month later for unspecified causes.
The Unbiased was unable to find Malinowski for remark.
Mike Bedigan contributed reporting for this text.
