In the tragic incident of the paddleboarder whose body was recovered from a pond on Martha’s Vineyard on Monday has been identified as Tafari Campbell, a beloved employee of former President Barack Obama according to ABC News.
The Massachusetts State Police confirmed the identity of the 45-year-old man from Dumfries, Virginia, whose body was recovered from Edgartown Great Pond, located along the southern coast of the island.
Authorities confirmed that Campbell, who previously worked for the former president, was in Martha’s Vineyard at the time of his passing. The Obamas were reportedly not present at their residence during the incident, according to state police. However, on Monday afternoon, the couple issued a heartfelt statement, referring to Campbell as a part of their family:
“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 incident occurred near the $12 million mansion owned by the Obama family. Upon receiving the distress call, a joint-agency search operation was swiftly launched at approximately 7:46 PM on Sunday. The operation involved numerous agencies, including Edgartown Fire and all other island fire departments, local police, State Police patrols, Air Wing, detectives, the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department, and the Coast Guard.
As dawn broke on Monday, the search operation resumed. The operation included divers and boat crews deploying side-scan sonar, a technology that uses sound waves to create images of the underwater environment. Aerial support from Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and US Coast Guard helicopter crews provided a bird’s eye view of the search area, aiding in the efforts.
In addition to the teams from the previous night, the MSP Underwater Recovery Unit and the Massachusetts Environmental Police joined the search operation.
Shortly before 10 AM, the body of the Campbell was recovered from Edgartown Great Pond by Massachusetts State Police divers. The recovery was made approximately 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.