The widow of former President Barack Obama’s personal chef paid tribute to her late husband, Tafari Campbell, who was found dead in a pond that backs up to Obama’s $12 million Martha’s Vineyard estate on Monday.
“My heart is broken,” Sherise Campbell, Tafari’s wife, said in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “My life and our family’s life is forever changed. Please pray for me and our families as I deal with the loss of my husband.”
Sherise is owner of Sweet Sage in Washington, D.C. The baker, caterer, and personal chef posts photos of her food and designer cakes on her Instagram page.
The Massachusetts State Police responded to a 911 call from the Obama residence at 7:46 p.m. ET on July 24. The caller reported a man going under the water without resurfacing.
Divers recovered Campbell’s body from the Edgartown Great Pond the next morning around 10 a.m.
Campbell, 45, and another man had gone paddle boarding in the pond when tragedy struck. The pond backs up to the Obama estate.
The other paddle boarder has not been identified. It isn’t clear why Campbell, who lives in Virginia with his family, was paddle boarding near Obama’s estate in Martha’s Vineyard on Monday night.
Police say no foul play is suspected.
Barack and his wife, Michelle, were at home at the time of the accidental drowning. The news media originally reported that they were not at home.
In a joint statement, Barack and Michelle Obama called Campbell a “beloved part of our family.” Campbell was a sous chef who worked at the White House during Obama’s 2 terms. The Obamas asked him to continue working for them after they left the Executive Residence in early 2017.
“He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone,” the statement continued. “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.”
