Milton left a trail of devastation across Florida but that didn’t stop one influencer from from pulling a dangerous stunt during his livestream
While Hurricane Milton ripped through Florida late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning one social media influencer ventured into the hurricane.
Holding nothing but a blow-up mattress, an umbrella and a pack of ramen noodles, Mike Smalls, Jr went outside Wednesday evening in Tampa, FL ahead of Milton’s landfall and began live-streaming on the platform Kick.
He told his audience on the livestream that if he reached 10,000 views he would jump in the flood water with only the blow-up mattress as a makeshift raft.
Many online criticized the young influencer saying putting himself in harms way could endanger rescue workers and first responders.
He then crossed the 10,000 view threshold he told the plunge into the water. “The wind started picking up and I don’t know how to swim…so I had to grab on to the tree,” he told the BBC.
The area Smalls Jr. was under a mandatory evacuation order as residents were advised of the imminent danger of the storm.
The hour long stream garnered more than 60,000 views and gained even more once the stream was clipped and posted to other social media platforms.
Many online criticized the young influencer saying putting himself in harms way could endanger rescue workers and first responders.
The Tampa Bay Police Department put out a statement regarding the incident saying “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.”
This year’s hurricane season has already claimed hundreds of lives with 16 people so far being confirmed killed by Hurricane Milton.
“Intentionally placing oneself in harm’s way could divert critical resources and delay vital rescue operations for others.”
This year’s hurricane season has already claimed hundreds of lives with 16 people so far being confirmed killed by Hurricane Milton.
Smalls Jr’s full time job is steaming in Kick and he is juts one of many influencers engaging in dangerous stunts in order to attract more viewers to their channel. Others stunts or pranks in his channel include setting off fireworks inside his bedroom and going to fast-food restaurants and antagonizing the staff.
He told the BBC that his plane for Milton was “Get some nice clips, and then, if things get too wild, I can, just, you know, track my little five, 10-minute walk back home.”
He pulled a similar stunt during Hurricane Helene a few weeks ago when he ventured out into the storm with a tent and live-streamed for more than five hours.
“It’s my job just to entertain and think of creative things to entertain my chat. And if people want to, you know, if they’re inspired by what I do, I respect it,” he said, adding you have to gauge and “do things at your own risk,” he told the BBC.
Kick and other platforms like it often offer financial incentives for views and followers. Viewers can also donate directly to the streamer.
Smalls Jr told the BBC that he makes about $300-$400 per hour while streaming and that the money he made from his most recent stream will help him pay a few bills.
