Tafari Campbell was reported missing on July 23, 2023, and tragically, his death was confirmed the next day, as stated on the Massachusetts State Police website.
The professional chef had gone out paddleboarding that Sunday, and when he did not return, he was reported missing during the early hours of the night, according to CNN.
Subsequently, officials recovered his body from the Edgartown Great Pond in Martha’s Vineyard, confirming it was Tafari’s.
In response to the heartbreaking news, former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, released a statement to PEOPLE.
The famous couple expressed their sorrow and shared that the late 45-year-old chef had been their personal chef, a role he held with pride.
“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 pair said in a joint-statement. “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.”
Barack and the former first lady also expressed their condolences to Tafari’s loved ones. “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,” they concluded. Below are five things to know about Tafari amid his passing.
As previously mentioned, Tafari was a proud personal chef. The food-lover worked for the former U.S. president during Barack’s time in the White House, but also in the years that followed. In the 61-year-old’s statement, he and his wife expressed that they asked Tafari to become their personal chef after they had made their lives shine more.
“That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed,” they said their statement. “He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.”