The Obama family is devastated as their personal chef, Tafari Campbell, was discovered dead after a paddleboarding outing near their vacation home. Campbell, a former White House chef, had been paddleboarding on a Martha’s Vineyard lake when he vanished beneath the water.
Massachusetts State Police responded to the incident, reporting, “A call for a male paddleboarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface.” After an overnight search, Campbell’s body was found the following morning.
Campbell had previously served as a sous chef in the White House before becoming the Obamas’ personal cook. Fortunately, the former president and Michelle Obama were not present at the time of the accident.
Sherise Campbell/Instagram
In a statement, the Obamas expressed their grief, calling Campbell “a beloved part of our family” and expressing how their “hearts are broken that he’s gone.”
Barack Obama says Michelle told their daughters to avoid a career in politics
The former president and first lady are parents of two.
If Malia or Sasha Obama ever became president, who would be the better leader?
At a star-studded fundraiser for President Joe Biden in Los Angeles on Saturday, former President Barack Obama was posed the question and revealed whether his beloved daughters would ever follow in their father’s footsteps into politics.
“That is a question I do not need to answer because [former first lady] Michelle [Obama] drilled into them so early that you would be crazy to go into politics. It will never happen,” the 62-year-old dad of two said.
“They’re powerful young women,” Biden added, saying that some of his grandchildren are close friends with the Obama sisters.
Malia Obama, the eldest of the two siblings, is pursuing a screenwriting and directing career. The 25-year-old made her red carpet debut at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year in January, where she presented her short film, “The Heart.”
Younger sister Sasha Obama graduated from the University of Southern California in May 2023 and turned 23 a week ago. To mark the milestone, proud mom Michelle Obama celebrated her with a special birthday tribute on Instagram.
“Happy birthday, Sasha! You make me so incredibly proud,” the former first lady wrote in a caption accompanying a photo of the mother-daughter duo embracing. “Hope this year brings you everything you want and more. Love you. 💕.”
In honor of Father’s Day Sunday, Barack Obama shared a family snapshot on Instagram of him with his wife and children posing in front of a waterfall.
“Happy Father’s Day! The most fulfilling job I’ve ever had is being Sasha and Malia’s dad. To all those lucky enough to take on the role of being a father, I hope you enjoy your day,” he wrote in the caption.
