The paddleboarder recovered from a pond in Martha's Vineyard on Monday morning has been identified as 45-year-old Tafari Campbell, an employee of former President Barack Obama, Massachusetts State Police (MSP) said.
MSP previously stated that Underwater Recover Unit divers recovered Campbell's body shortly before 10 a.m. from Edgartown Great Pond, which is near the Obamas' home on the island. Police said that the former president and Michelle Obama, ex-first lady, were not at the residence during the time of the incident.
According to a statement from the Obamas, which was cited by ABC News, Campbell was a sous chef at the White House during the Obama administration. Police said that Campbell was visiting Martha's Vineyard.
"Tafari was a beloved part of our family," read the former first family's statement. "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."
According to ABC News, the Obamas said that they asked Campbell to continue to work with them after leaving the White House in 2017, adding that he "generously agreed" to the offer.
"He's been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he's gone," 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."
Martha's Vineyard police and fire agencies received a call at 7:46 p.m. Sunday for reports of a male paddleboarder in distress. According to the MSP, the paddleboarder "appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface."
Another paddleboarder was accompanying Campbell and observed him go underwater, police said.
Numerous agencies assisted in the search for Campbell, which lasted several hours Sunday night, reported MSP. Efforts resumed Monday morning and included divers and boat crews using a side-scan sonar system, police said, which provided aerial support for the marine search crews.
Police said Campbell's body was found about 100 feet from the pond's shore, at a depth of about 8 feet.
Newsweek reached out to the Obamas' office for additional comment.
Update 07/24/23, 8:11 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more
