The body of a missing paddleboarder was found in a pond on Martha’s Vineyard on Monday, and Massachusetts State Police have now identified him as Tafari Campbell, an employee of former President Barack Obama and his family.
Campbell, 45 years old and from Dumfries, Virginia, was visiting Martha’s Vineyard when the apparent accident occurred. The recovery took place in Edgartown Great Pond, situated along the island’s southern coast, and was reported shortly before 10 a.m.
According to state police, Campbell had been working for the former president and was considered a cherished member of the Obama family.
BREAKING: Missing Paddle Boarder’s Body Pulled From Martha’s Vineyard Pond Next To Obama Home https://t.co/PnltFoKZST
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 24, 2023
The Obamas were not present on the island at the time of the incident. They released a statement on Monday afternoon expressing their grief over the loss of Campbell:
“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.
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 official cause of death for Campbell remains unclear. Although, drowning is suspected.
This is a breaking news update. Earlier report below:
Authorities have discovered the body of a paddle boarder who had gone missing in a pond on Martha’s Vineyard, near President Barack Obama’s estate.
According to the Martha’s Vineyard Times, police in Edgartown, Massachusetts, confirmed that the search for an unidentified 43-year-old African American man has been called off.
In a statement, the Massachusetts State Police reported that they had responded to the emergency at the town’s Great Pond at approximately 7:40 pm on Sunday. The pond is situated in the vicinity of a 30-acre waterfront Turkeyland Cove estate, which was purchased by the Obamas in 2019.
A fellow paddleboarder, who was with the victim at the time, informed authorities that he witnessed the man struggling to remain on the surface before eventually going underwater.
The missing man’s paddleboard and hat were found later on the same day. Multiple agencies from neighboring areas, along with the US Coast Guard, assisted in the search and rescue operations until they were temporarily suspended on Monday morning.
The Massachusetts State Police stated, “Shortly before 10 AM the body of the missing paddle boarder was recovered from Edgartown Great Pond by Massachusetts State Police divers. MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers made the recovery after the victim’s body was located by a Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers deploying side-scan sonar from a boat.
As previously noted, the victim is a 43-year-old male. His name is not being released at this time; we expect to release his name later today.
The recovery was made approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.”
