President Obama’s personal chef has been found deceased in a pond near the family’s Martha’s Vineyard estate.
On Monday, Tafari Campbell was located in about eight feet of water in the Edgartown Great Pond after an extensive search for him just one day prior, The New York Post reports. Authorities swarmed the area on Sunday evening following reports of a possible drowning. Campbell was reportedly visiting Martha’s Vineyard over the weekend and had gone paddleboarding on the pond. At some point, something caused the 45-year-old to enter the water. He was not wearing a life vest and was wearing all black at the time of his disappearance. Helicopters and divers helped in the frantic search on Sunday. The efforts were suspended hours later.
Campbell’s body was pulled from the water Monday morning around 10:00 a.m. The chef had become an adored staff member of the Obamas, who initially met him during their tenure in the White House. After Obama completed his second term, he offered Campbell a job as his personal chef, which he graciously accepted.
The Obama family released a statement after the body was confirmed as Campbell’s, referring to him as a “beloved part of our family.”
“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,” the touching memo read.
Campbell leaves behind his wife, Sherise, and their twin sons, Xavier and Savin. As of now, it appears his death was a tragic accident. However, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit will thoroughly investigate the incident in collaboration with Cape and Islands District and Edgartown Police.
