Barack and Michelle Obama have paid tribute to their personal chef who was found dead after drowning near their family home in Massachusetts.
Police in Edgartown, Massachusetts, confirmed on Monday (July 24) morning that the search for a then-unidentified man had been called off after a body was recovered from Great Pond, which is near the Obamas' home on Martha's Vineyard
Officials then later named the man as 45-year-old Tafari Campbell, who had worked for the former first couple at the White House and then joined the family as their personal chef afterward.
While the late chef - who was a keen paddleboarder - was employed by the Obamas, they were not at their residence at the time of the horrific drowning, as reported by Sky News.
After news of Campbell's tragic death was publicized, the 66-year-old former president and his 59-year-old wife shared a tribute statement stating that the chef was a "beloved part of our family," as cited by Chicago Sun-Times.
"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 statement read. "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," they added.
According to Page Six, Campbell’s wife also took to social media to mourn the loss of her husband of 23 years. On her Instagram story, she captioned a photo of the chef smiling with the word "Heartbroken."
She also shared a photo of her husband standing alongside their teenage sons, who wore matching black T-shirts and green cargo pants.
Campbell was known as one of the chefs who helped brew a series of ales using honey from the beehives set up by Michelle Obama in 2012. The recipe was revealed to the public after a petition to do so gained around 12,000 signatures.
"As far as we know, the White House Honey Brown Ale is the first alcohol brewed or distilled on the White House grounds," said a statement from Mr Obama's office at the time, per The Independent.
The late chef is survived by his wife Sherise and their twin boys.
Our thoughts are with Campbell's family and friends at this time.
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