An investigation into the tragic death of former President Barack Obama’s chef revealed that he wasn’t alone while paddle-boarding off the luxury island of Martha’s Vineyard near Obama’s $12 million estate.
A female staff member of the Obama family was also with Tafari Campbell when he drowned. She was reportedly on a separate paddleboard and was unable to reach Campbell after he had fallen off.
State police say the woman witnessed Campbell drown. Authorities have withheld the name of the woman who says she was forced to return to shore to summon help. (Trending Now: Hunter Biden Star Witness Drops Bombshell Testimony)
After a week, authorities are still investigating the incident as questions swirl. The water was just eight feet deep where Campbell was found, roughly 100 feet from the shore. The drowning has been determined to be a tragic accident and there were no signs of foul play.
BREAKING: Barack Obama's personal chef, Tafari Campbell, found dead after drowning near the former president's Martha's Vineyard home 🙏😔 pic.twitter.com/qPsI1cc51N
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 24, 2023
Barack and Michelle Obama were reportedly not home at the time of the drowning. Obama’s daughters, Sasha, 25, and Malia, 22, were on the island at the time of the drowning. It’s unclear whether they were home or not.
Just yards away from Obama’s home, witnesses say a man was seen “struggling to stay afloat” before disappearing beneath the water’s surface. Rescuers, including the U.S. Coast Guard, searched and found the unnamed paddleboarder.
The missing person was eventually identified as the Obama family’s chef, Tafari Campbell.
As the investigation continues, we have learned that a Secret Service agent phoned emergency services from the Obama compound. Campbell reportedly showed no signs of intoxication, but a toxicology test is pending.
🚨We’ve now learned the man who drowned while paddleboarding in front of Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard estate was Tafari Campbell, their sous chef in the White House and current personal chef, but this raises some important questions:
Who else was with him? A 2nd paddleboarder was… pic.twitter.com/JK6xYoh7yA
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) July 24, 2023
In a statement, former President Obama said, “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.
“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,” the Obamas said.
The Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit is investigating the incident.
Campbell’s wife Sherise said her life is “forever changed” by her husband’s passing. “My heart is broken,” she wrote alongside a photo of Campbell on Instagram.
“My life and our family’s life is forever changed,” she explained. “Please pray for me and our families as I deal with the loss of my husband.”
Campbell is survived by his wife and their twin boys.
