Former US President Barack Obama’s personal chef has died in a paddle boarding accident close to the Obamas’ Massachusetts home.
Tafari Campbell, 45, worked in the White House before staying on with the Obama family after Mr Obama left office in 2016.
He went missing on Sunday in the waters of Martha’s Vineyard’s Edgartown Great Pond.
His talents in the kitchen and outside were praised in a statement by the Obamas.
“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,” Mr Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said on Monday.
“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.”
Mr. Campbell was traveling to the Massachusetts island from his home in Virginia when he died. According to the police, the Obama family was not at home when the incident occurred.
A police report states that on Sunday night, a search was started for “a ale paddleboarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface “.
“Another paddleboarder was on the pond with him at the time and observed him go under the water,” it added.
His body was discovered on Monday “about 100 feet (30 meters) from shore at a depth of about 8 feet”.
His death is being looked into by the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, but it is thought to have been an accident, according to reports.
His wife, Sherise Campbell, paid tribute to him on Instagram.
“My heart is broken,” Ms Campbell said. “My life and our family’s life is forever changed. Please pray for me and our families as I deal with the loss of my husband.”
During Mr. Obama’s eight years in office, Mr. Campbell had worked in the White House. He participated in the development of some of the most well-known presidential recipes at that time, including one for beer made with ingredients grown on the White House grounds.
The Obamas’ statement also said that when it came time for the first family to leave Washington, they asked Mr. Campbell to come with them, and he “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.”
Source-BBC
