The body of a paddleboarder who drowned in a Martha’s Vineyard pond on Sunday has been identified as that of Tafari Campbell, former President Barack Obama’s personal chef. Campbell, 43, formerly worked as a sous chef in the White House kitchen during the Bush and Obama administrations before entering the Obama family’s employ in 2017.
A 9-1-1 call placed from near the Obama family’s residence around 7:45 on Sunday evening reported a man struggling to stay afloat, then suddenly sinking beneath the surface. “A male paddleboarder who had gone into the water appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface,” the police told local media. “Another paddleboarder was on the pond with him at the time and observed him go under the water.”
A search-and-rescue team comprised of local emergency personnel, state police, and the US Coast Guard was deployed to the area surrounding the Great Edgartown Pond that night. Campbell’s paddleboard and hat were recovered soon after, and his body was located via sonar just before 10 am on Monday morning. His remains were found eight feet below the surface and approximately 100 feet from shore. Campbell is survived by his wife Sharise and twin 19-year-old sons.
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At the time of his death, Campbell was reportedly visiting the Obamas at their Martha’s Vineyard estate on the banks of the Edgartown Great Pond, mere yards from where his body was later found. Police initially reported that the former First Family was not at home during the incident, but Obama representatives later clarified that they were simply elsewhere on Martha’s Vineyard.
“Tafari was a beloved part of our family,” said a statement from Barack and Michelle Obama on Monday. “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 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.”
As reports of the incident circulated, Campbell’s close ties to the Obamas gave rise to wild speculation about what really led to his death.
It is unclear what circumstances led to the drowning of the healthy 43-year-old, and the identity of the caller who first reported Campbell’s disappearance has not yet been disclosed. With media sources offering conflicting reports on whether Campbell was able to swim or not, pundits and online commentators began questioning whether foul play was involved in his tragic passing.
Update:
Multiple media outlets have reported that The former White House chef who drowned in the waters of Obamas Martha’s Vineyard estate could not swim and that is the reason why he drowned.
However, these videos prove that he had a strong swimming ability and was able to… pic.twitter.com/mGXzHOmiMm
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) July 24, 2023
Additionally, the situation’s striking similarity to the 2015 drowning of Walter Scheib, a former White House chef who worked for Bill and Hillary Clinton, raised suspicions in connection with the infamous “Clinton Death List.”
But despite these theories, the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit is investigating the drowning as an accident, with a final determination expected to be announced shortly.
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