Tafari Campbell, 45, a personal chef who served former US President Barack Obama, tragically passed away from drowning during a paddle boarding trip near the Obamas’ residence in Massachusetts.
The personal chef served the former president in the White House. Campbell continued working with the former president after Obama left office in 2016. On Sunday, Campbell went missing while paddle boarding in Edgartown Great Pond on Martha’s Vineyard.
Loss of a great talent
The Obamas expressed their sorrow in a statement, praising his culinary talents and his positive impact beyond the kitchen.
They remembered him as a creative and passionate sous chef who believed in the power of food to bring people together and as an exceptionally kind and joyful individual.
Photo: Instagram/Barack Obama
At the time of his passing, Campbell was visiting Massachusetts Island from his home in Virginia, and the Obama family was not present during the accident. The search for him began on Sunday night after a witness reported seeing a male paddleboarder struggle in the water before submerging and not resurfacing.
Campbell drowned during paddle boarding
On Monday, the body of Campbell was found about 100 feet (30 metres) from the shore, about eight feet deep.
Authorities, including the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, are investigating the incident, but it appears to have been an accident. During the former president's tenure in Washington, Campbell had a close association with Obama, where he contributed to creating famous presidential recipes, including a beer brewed from White House-grown ingredients.
Part of the family
When the Obamas left Washington, they invited Campbell to join them, and he gladly accepted, becoming an integral part of their lives ever since. The family mourns his loss deeply and extends their condolences to his wife, Sherise, and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin, remembering him as a truly wonderful man.
