A paddleboarder who drowned in a pond near former President Barack Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard estate has been identified as Tafari Campbell, the Obamas’ personal chef.
Police responded to a 911 call from the Obama’s $12 million residence at 7:46 p.m. Sunday. The caller described a male paddleboarder who went under the water near Turkeyland Cove and did not resurface.
Another paddleboarder who was in the water with Campbell witnessed him go under, according to authorities.
Campbell’s body was recovered just before 10 a.m. Monday morning, Fox Atlanta affiliate FOX 5 News reports.
Campbell, 45, who was employed as the Obamas’ chef in the White House, was visiting Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his drowning. Barack and Michelle Obama were not at the home at the time of the accident, police said.
The Obamas released a joint statement on Monday that reads:
“Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House – creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter.
“That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone. Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari – especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin – in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man.”
