Before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Tampa, Florida, officials there made an effort to help a man who went by the TikTok handle “Lieutenant Dan.” The man, whose true name is apparently Joseph Malinowski, defied their attempts to disembark from his 20-foot boat and chose instead to weather the storm.
Malinowski was filmed by Terrence Concannon, who uploaded the popular TikTok on October 8 and showed him justifying his choice. Malinowski, who was inspired by the Forrest Gump character, boldly declares his belief in God in the video, saying, “God told me to come out here and acquire a boat. I’m safe with him. We’re going to get through this. He brashly said, “Hell no,” when asked if he would be donning a life jacket, stating that his yacht was the safest place for him to be.
Around 43 million people had viewed the film as of October 9, garnering both local and national interest. Authorities in Tampa were worried about his safety, but Malinowski refused to leave despite multiple attempts to persuade him. The local police said that although they would have helped, they would eventually be unable to get to him due to the storm’s increasing conditions.
Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa first said that Malinowski had been rescued and taken to a shelter during a press conference. Brian Entin, a reporter for NewsNation, swiftly refuted this, posting a picture of Malinowski remaining on his boat as evidence that he had not departed. Later on, the mayor’s office stated that Malinowski had initially decided to depart but ended up staying.
Concannon, the person who first uploaded the popular video, launched a GoFundMe page in support of Malinowski, which raised almost $23,000. The money is meant to assist Malinowski—who has been called a “modern-day pirate”—in buying a new boat because his present one has “seen better days.”
With sustained winds of 120 mph, Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, was predicted to make landfall on Florida’s west-central coast as of October 9. Malinowski made the decision to stay on his boat despite several orders for the locals to leave, putting his faith and the security of his craft at risk.
My Mom Shamed Me for Buying This Prom Dress and Ruined It – I Made Her Face the Consequences
My mom always found a way to ruin my happiest moments. This time was no different. However, I made sure that she never did it again with my revenge.
Five years ago, I was beyond excited for my senior prom. I had been looking forward to it for months, imagining the perfect night with my friends, dancing and celebrating the end of high school. I never imagined my own mother would ruin the experience for me.
Two women having conflict at home | Source: Pexels
I went shopping for a dress for my senior prom with my best friend. It was a sunny morning and we were both giddy and could not contain our excitement while getting ready.
Two women laughing together | Source: Pexels
We stepped into the store and looked around, seeing beautiful dresses in every corner. However, one pink gown caught our attention and I instantly liked it.
It was a gorgeous mermaid-style dress and I bought it right away. When I got home, I showed my mom the dress without actually putting it on. She didn’t have any noticeable reaction.
A woman in a pink dress | Source: Pexels
The skirt needed hemming, so my mother said she would take me to her friend who does tailoring. I thought she was being supportive. Little did I know, that was the calm before the storm.
After giving my dress to her friend, she said she was ashamed to be seen with me in the dress and that I had shamed her in front of her friend. I was really upset.
A depressed woman at home | Source: Pexels
I was flabbergasted by my mother’s comments and completely blindsided by her offer to help with the dress. It did not make sense that she offered to have it fixed while knowing she did not like it.
A few days later, I took the dress and simply burst into tears. She had REMADE it into a BAG, covering the upper and lower parts. In only an hour, mad as hell, I was realizing my revenge plan.
A sad woman crying | Source: Pexels
On prom day, when I went out of the house for photos, my mom almost FAINTED as I took her favorite dress and remade it into the same dress I bought for the prom.
“Grace, what have you done?! That’s my favorite dress!” my mom gasped.
“Oh, you mean the one you ruined? I thought I’d return the favor,” I said calmly.
“How dare you! That dress was expensive and important to me!” she exclaimed, furious.
“Just like my prom dress was important to me. But you didn’t care about that, did you?” I replied firmly.
Mother and daughter arguing in the bedroom | Source: Pexels
“I was just trying to protect you. That dress was inappropriate,” she tried to compose herself.
“No, you were trying to control me. You were ashamed of me for no reason. This is my prom, and I deserve to feel beautiful and confident. If you can’t support that, then you need to deal with the consequences,” I shook my head.
“I didn’t realize how much it meant to you. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, looking defeated.
Mother and daughter arguing | Source: Pexels
“It’s too late now, Mom. I hope you understand how it feels to have something you care about destroyed,” I softened slightly.
“I do, and I regret it. But you didn’t have to ruin my dress to make your point,” she sighed.
“Maybe not. But now you know what it feels like. Let’s just hope we can move past this,” I took a deep breath.
“I do want to move past this. I’m really sorry, and I want to make it up to you,” she said tearfully.
“We’ll see. For now, I have a prom to attend. I hope you understand why I did what I did,” I hugged her briefly.
“I do. Go have a wonderful time at your prom. You look beautiful,” she nodded.
A woman in a red dress | Source: Pexels
With that, I left the house, feeling a mixture of vindication and sadness. I knew that our relationship would need time to heal, but I felt empowered for standing up for myself. As I arrived at prom, I felt confident and beautiful in my dress, ready to enjoy the night with my friends.
The evening was a success as I made great memories. We danced, laughed, and took countless photos. However, when it all ended and I had to go back home, it was back to reality. I knew that my relationship with my mom needed mending.
Teenagers during senior prom night | Source: Pexels
From that day onwards, our relationship was strained. We spoke less often, and when we did, it was usually brief and tense. My mom seemed to avoid the topic of the prom entirely.
It was as if she was trying to pretend it never happened. I, on the other hand, couldn’t forget it. The hurt and betrayal lingered. Over time, we started to have more open conversations about our feelings. One evening, a few months after prom, I sat down with her.
A mother comforting her daughter | Source: Pexels
“Mom, we need to talk about what happened,” I began, feeling a lump in my throat.
She looked at me, her eyes softening. “I know, Grace. I’ve been thinking about it too. I’m really sorry for what I did. It was wrong.”
“I appreciate that, but it’s not just about the dress. It’s about how you made me feel. Like my choices didn’t matter,” I said, holding back tears.
A mother standing behind her daughter | Source: Pexels
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I was wrong to try and control you. I thought I was protecting you, but I see now that I was just being selfish. I’m so sorry, Grace.”
“I need you to trust me and support me,” I replied, reaching out to hold her hand.
“I will. I promise. I just want us to move past this and be close again,” she said, squeezing my hand.
Mother and daughter holding hands | Source: Pexels
It wasn’t an instant fix, but it was a start. We both made an effort to meet each other halfway to understand one another a bit more and that made all the difference, which made us happy.
Slowly, our relationship began to heal. We learned to communicate better and respect each other’s boundaries. It took time, patience, and a lot of honest conversations, but eventually, we rebuilt the trust that had been broken.
A mother and her daughter embracing each other | Source: Pexels
Now, looking back, I realize that that incident was a turning point for both of us. It taught us the importance of respect and understanding in our relationship. We both learned valuable lessons and although it was a painful experience, it brought us closer in the end.
A mother and daughter hugging | Source: Pexels
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