What Barack and Michelle Obama Have Said About Tafari Campbell's Death

Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, have said they are heart-broken after the body of their personal chef was recovered from a coastal pond on the south shore of Martha's Vineyard.

The search for father-of-two Tafari Campbell, 45, was launched after another paddleboarder reported seeing him struggling to stay afloat before disappearing under the waters of Edgartown Great Pond on the Massachusetts island on Sunday evening. Despite a huge rescue operation, involving multiple agencies, the search proved fruitless and was paused later that night. Campbell's body was found the next morning.

Massachusetts State Police (MSP) confirmed the paddleboarder's identity later on Monday, revealing he had been employed by the Obamas. The couple released a joint-statement describing Campbell as 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," the couple said. "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."

Campbell had reportedly been paddleboarding near the Obamas' Martha's Vineyard mansion, although MSP confirmed they were not home at the time. The news of Campbell's link to the power couple sparked a wave of right-wing conspiracy theories online, despite commentators failing to offer any evidence that the official account of the tragedy was incorrect in any way.

The alarm was raised at 7:46 p.m. Sunday after authorities received reports that a paddleboarder was in trouble on the pond—a huge 890-acre expanse of water.

MSP said he "had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface."

Police teams were joined by the island's fire departments, the Coast Guard and the Dukes County Sheriff's Department. Divers were deployed to search the pond, while helicopter crews searched overhead and boat teams deployed sonar to try to find the missing man, but authorities were forced to suspend the search overnight.

A statement released by MSP on Monday revealed that it had ended tragically.

"Shortly before 10 AM the body of the missing paddle boarder was recovered from Edgartown Great Pond by Massachusetts State Police divers," the statement began. "MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers made the recovery after the victim's body was located by a Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers [sic] deploying side-scan sonar from a boat [...]

"The recovery was made approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.

"The investigation into the fatality is being conducted by the State Police Detective Unit for the Cape and Islands District and Edgartown Police."

Campbell's name was not released at that time, but a further MSP update on Monday added: "The paddle boarder who was recovered from Edgartown Great Road today is identified as Tafari Campbell, 45 [...] of Dumfries, Virginia. Mr. Campbell was employed by former President Obama and was visiting Martha's Vineyard at the time of his passing. President and Mrs. Obama were not present at the residence at the time of the accident."

Newsweek has reached out to MSP by email for further information and comment and has also approached the Obama's for further comment through their office's website.