On Tuesday, officials confirmed that the Obamas’ “beloved” chef, Tafari Campbell, died due to accidental drowning in a Martha’s Vineyard lake.
Last month, CBS Boston reported that Campbell, 45, was paddle boarding at Edgartown Great Pond on July 23 when he was seen struggling in the water.
According to Timothy McGuirk from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Campbell’s death was determined to be an accidental drowning caused by being submerged in water.
Originally from Dumfries, Virginia, Campbell was a White House employee, embraced as family by the Obamas. He was later asked to continue working with the family even after Barack Obama’s presidency ended.
“He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone,” the Obamas said.
The Obamas stated that Campbell leaves behind a wife and twin sons.
“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,” the Obamas said in their statement. “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.”
