Former President Barack ObamaB次元官网网址檚 personal chef has drowned near the familyB次元官网网址檚 home on MarthaB次元官网网址檚 Vineyard.

Massachusetts State Police confirmed that the paddleboarder whose body was recovered from Edgartown Great Pond on Monday was Tafari Campbell, 45, of Dumfries, Virginia.

Campbell was employed by the Obamas and was visiting MarthaB次元官网网址檚 Vineyard. The Obamas were not present at the home at the time of the accident.

In a statement, the former president and his wife, Michelle Obama, called Campbell a B次元官网网址渂eloved part of our family.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hen we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House B次元官网网址� creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together,B次元官网网址� the couple said. B次元官网网址淚n 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.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. HeB次元官网网址檚 been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that heB次元官网网址檚 gone.B次元官网网址�

The search for the missing paddleboarder started Sunday after reports from a fellow paddleboarder that he had struggled on the surface, went under and didnB次元官网网址檛 resurface.

The search was paused late Sunday but on Monday state police said sonar from a boat located the body about 100 feet (30 meters) from shore at a depth of about 8 feet (2.4 meters). Campbell was not wearing a life jacket, police said.

The Obamas said Campbell is survived by his wife and their twin boys.

The Associated Press

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