Controversial influencer Caroline Calloway is refusing to leave her home in a “mandatory evacuation” zone in Florida. The 32-year-old said on Instagram Tuesday that she is “going to die” in Hurricane Milton. The hurricane, which fell back to Category 4 from a monstrous Category 5, is expected to make landfall in The Sunshine State between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
Influencer Caroline Calloway says she's ‘going to die’ in Hurricane Milton
Calloway, who shot to fame on social media by documenting her time at Cambridge University, said in the since-deleted video, “So if you’ve been following Hurricane Milton, um, I’m going to die.” “It’s supposed to make landfall in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. I’m in Sarasota, I live on the water. It’s a zone A, mandatory evacuation,” she added, per the Daily Mail.
Milton, which is dubbed “a dangerous major hurricane,” comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in Florida. Ahead of its landfall, evacuations had been ordered in more than 50 counties. Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castor issued a chilling warning to residents while talking about the dangers of the “literally catastrophic” then-Category 5 hurricane. “If you choose to stay … you are going to die,” Castor said on CNN.
Explaining why she is choosing to “die” instead of evacuating her Florida home, Calloway said, “I can’t drive, first of all. Second of all, the airport is closed.” She went on, “Third of all, the last time I evacuated for a hurricane, I went to my mom’s house in Northport for Hurricane Ian,” adding, “Her whole street flooded, and we were evacuated after three days without power or running water by the US military.”
{{/usCountry}}Explaining why she is choosing to “die” instead of evacuating her Florida home, Calloway said, “I can’t drive, first of all. Second of all, the airport is closed.” She went on, “Third of all, the last time I evacuated for a hurricane, I went to my mom’s house in Northport for Hurricane Ian,” adding, “Her whole street flooded, and we were evacuated after three days without power or running water by the US military.”
{{/usCountry}}“It was very traumatic, and so I don’t want to evacuate to my mom’s house because the last time I did that, it was the worst time ever!” she continued, adding that she is preparing for the hurricane as she stays back at home with her cat by filling the backtub with “backup water.” “We have food, but it’s kind of scary…I’ll keep you guys updated.” She doubled down on her decision not to evacuate in a tweet shared on X Wednesday.
“I’m not evacuating for the hurricane. I live in Sarasota, on the beach, in evacuation zone A. For more great advice, buy my second book! It’s called Elizabeth Wurtzel and Caroline Calloway’s Guide to Life. It’s about to come out if I survive! It’s an advice book ;-) Cute!!!!! <3” she wrote. Calloway's statement quickly drew flak online, with netizens slamming her for using a deadly hurricane for “clout.”
“Mf riding a hurricane for clout is insane work. I can’t hate on this. The dram, the content. If you live the win is undeniable. Please if nothing else just save the cat,” wrote an X user. “Why would anybody want advice from someone this f**king stupid?” remarked another angry user. One more said, “Then no one should mourn after you're gone.”