Obamas' personal chef dies while paddle boarding on Martha's Vineyard

Obamas' personal chef dies while paddle boarding in Martha's Vineyard pond

A man who was working as a personal chef for former President Barack Obama is dead after he went missing while paddle boarding on Martha's Vineyard, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

State police said the body of 45-year-old Tafari Campbell, of Dumfries, Virginia, was recovered Monday morning from Edgartown Great Pond, which is located on the South Shore of Martha's Vineyard.

Martha's Vineyard police received a call on Sunday at 7:46 p.m. reporting a male paddleboarder had gone into the water on Edgartown Great Pond near Turkeyland Cove and appeared to struggle briefly before going under and not resurfacing, according to state police.

State police previously said Campbell was accompanied by another paddle boarder on the pond who observed him go under the water.

Edgartown Great Pond is located near the Obama family's home on Martha's Vineyard. State police said Campbell was visiting Martha's Vineyard at the time of his death, and that Obama and his wife, Michelle, were not present at the home at the time of the incident.

"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. That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone," reads a statement from Barack and Michelle Obama. "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."

A search operation began on Sunday, was paused for several hours and resumed on Monday morning.

Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers identified the location of Campbell's body using a boat equipped with side-scan sonar, and members of the Massachusetts State Police Underwater Recovery unit recovered the body shortly before 10 a.m., a spokesperson said.

Officials said Campbell's body was found approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of approximately 8 feet.

Campbell's death is now under the investigation of the State Police Detective Unit for the Cape and Islands District and Edgartown police.