While millions of people in Florida fled Hurricane Milton, Mike Smalls Jr. braved the high winds in Tampa, Fla., clutching an air mattress, an umbrella and a packet of ramen noodles.
He was out on the streets Wednesday night as the storm hit the US state and was live streaming on the Kick platform. He told his online audience that if he reached 10,000 views, he would throw himself and his mattress into the water.
Standing on the threshold, he rushed. Then he became worried: “The wind started to pick up and I can’t swim… so I had to cling to a tree.”
The area was under an evacuation order – meaning local authorities advised residents to leave their homes for their own safety.
Mike’s hour-long broadcast from Tampa Bay has more than 60,000 views on the Kick streaming platform, and has been seen by millions after being clipped and shared on other social media platforms, including X.
Live streaming – capturing yourself in real time – is becoming increasingly lucrative for content creators looking to make a quick buck.
But these streams can involve dangerous tricks as content creators try to stand out in the face of growing competition.
Many people have criticized Mike’s behavior on social media, suggesting that he is risking his life for clicks.
He did it safely – and told me he would do the risky stunt again “if the price was right”.
When asked about the backlash, he admits that what he did was “controversial” and acknowledges that some may think he’s risking not only his own life, but the lives of those who may be supposed to save him. But he added: “From a content creator’s point of view, people like to see edgy stuff.”
The Tampa Police Department said in a statement: “Disregarding mandatory evacuation orders puts lives at risk. When people ignore these warnings, they not only put their own safety at risk, but also create additional challenges for first responders who work tirelessly to save lives.
“Deliberately putting yourself in harm’s way can divert critical resources and delay vital rescue operations for others.”
Hundreds of people have died during this year’s hurricane season, which has devastated parts of the southeastern United States.
Millions were forced to evacuate as Hurricane Milton, measured as a Category 5 storm at its peak, made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday. At least 16 people died in the storm, millions are still without power and thousands had to be rescued by emergency services as water flooded homes.
Hurricanes Alena and Milton have booked an exceptionally busy period of tropical weather in the US. Five hurricanes have formed in less than two weeks – not far from what is usually seen in the Atlantic throughout the year.
