Featured Image Credit: Mike Smalls Jr/Kick
Topics: Florida, Social Media, US News, Hurricane Milton
Ellie Kemp
Topics: Florida, Social Media, US News, Hurricane Milton
An influencer who risked his life by throwing himself into a river during Hurricane Milton has explained exactly what happened.
The category three hurricane - which at one point reached category five status - swept across Florida last week, causing an estimated $50bn of destruction.
At least 23 people have died, with the number expected to climb as many loved ones are still missing.
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Major towns and cities were under evacuation order, including Tampa, where social media star Mike Smalls Jr is based.
Armed with a blow-up mattress, a pack of ramen noodles and an umbrella, the 26-year-old began live-streaming on Kick on Wednesday night.
He vowed to jump into a nearby flooded river if his stream hit 10,000 viewers.
Sure enough, it did - and Mike threw himself and his mattress into the water, despite high-force winds and torrential rain.
Explaining his decision, Mike told the BBC: "You know, I take safety very seriously. To a degree, I guess you could say it's irresponsible, but for me, I would say it's a calculated banger."
Once he was in the river, Mike explained: "The wind started picking up and I don’t know how to swim…so I had to grab onto the tree".
He performed the stunt in an attempt to win a $70,000 prize offered up by fellow streamer Adin Ross, who had challenged people to livestream during Storm Milton.
Mike's hour-long stream initially clocked up 60,000 views on Kick, but clips of the stunt have since been viewed millions of times across other social media platforms.
The clips have been met with outrage online. And while Mike managed to get himself to safety on this time, he said he'd do it all over again 'if the price was right.'
On emergency workers potentially risking their lives to save him, Mike said he knew what he was getting himself into. He said: "Don’t save me. If I do another hurricane? All right. You ain't got to say nothing. I do not want to put your life at risk. No.”
In an update in X, Mike wrote: "Adin Ross said he’s proud of me for going viral for the hurricane challenge and peaking at 20K live viewers. He also said he’s sending me $10K".
The Tampa Police Department told the BBC in a statement: “Ignoring mandatory evacuation orders puts lives at risk.
"When individuals disregard these warnings, they not only jeopardise their own safety, but also create additional challenges for first responders who are working tirelessly to save lives.
"Intentionally placing oneself in harm's way could divert critical resources and delay vital rescue operations for others."
It's not Mike's first rodeo either. During Storm Helene, he streamed for a staggering five hours while dragging a tent through stormy conditions, all in a bid to 'entertain the people.'