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According to Massachusetts State Police, former President Barack Obama's personal chef died this weekend in a drowning accident near the Obama's home on Martha's Vineyard.
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Tafari Campbell, 45, of Dumfries, Virginia, was observed Sunday night trying to keep above water while paddleboarding, according to a 911 call.
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The search for Campbell began that night, with members of the US Coast Guard and state and local police, involving aviation and diving teams as well as on-foot officers.
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On Monday morning, just before 10 a.m., Massachusetts Environmental Police discovered Campbell's body in Edgartown Great Pond, some 100 feet from shore and 8 feet below the water's surface.
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The Edgartown Police Department, together with state police, are conducting an investigation into the deceased. The Obamas were not at home at the time of the accident.
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Tafari Campbell was a well-known White House figure during the Obama administration, having been one of the cooks who created honey ale from scratch using honey from Michelle Obama's South Lawn garden.
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According to the Obamas, he was so beloved by the first family that they asked him to continue cooking for them after he left the White House, and he obliged.
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Since then, their 30-acre house on Martha's Vineyard has been a favorite family summer vacation.
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The Obama family acknowledged their sorrow and grief at the unexpected loss in the same statement.
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They chanted Campbell's praises, describing him as "a beloved part of our family" and a "extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter," as well as praising his inventiveness, passion, and compassion.
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