Identity Revealed of Paddleboarder Who Died Near Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard Estate

A paddleboarder who drowned near the Martha’s Vineyard estate of former President Barack Obama was identified as being a personal chef for the Obama family. Massachusetts State Police (MSP) discovered the body of the…

Elizabeth WeibelJul 25, 20232 min read

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to the call around 7:46 p.m., according to the MSP.

The Obamas issued a joint statement, expressing Campbell had been a “beloved part” of their family, according to Fox News.

“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,” the Obamas said in their statement.

The Obamas explained as they were preparing to depart from the White House, they “asked Tafari to stay” with them, adding he had “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.”

Another paddleboarder who had been on the pond with Campbell at the time observed him “go under the water,” according to the MSP.

Divers from the MSP retrieved Campbell’s body from a depth of “approximately 100 feet from the shore” and at a depth of eight feet” after Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers had used a side-scan sonar from a boat, according to the MSP.