star Joe Malinowski, better known as Lieutenant Dan, has gone viral on social media for surviving - despite defying evacuation advice.
Speaking to , he said: "It was awesome. I've had more eventful nights."
Mr Malinowski became a social media sensation overnight for his resistance to the evacuation orders in . Instead, he chose to stay on his 20ft boat in Tampa Bay.
with heavy winds and a huge storm surge. A series of tornadoes demolished homes and flattened communities across the state.
However, Lieutenant Dan "made it through unscathed".
Describing his experience, he said: "It was pretty good, it wasn't too bad."
"We did alright, it was uneventful - actually this wasn't as bad as [storm] Helene was.
"I kept banging into the sea wall here, but I probably got minor cosmetic damage. I was right here and I wasn't going anywhere so I wasn't concerned."
He added: "I'm ready to go back to bed."
Multiple deaths have now been confirmed as the storm made landfall.
The Category 3 Hurricane Milton dropped to Category 2 as it ripped through the centre of Florida.
Officials fear the death toll will only rise.
Have you been affected by Hurricane Milton? Share your story at
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