A private chef to the Obama household drowned whereas paddleboarding in Martha’s Vineyard, police confirmed on Monday.

The physique of Tafari Campbell, 45, of Dumfries, Va., was uncovered after a two-day search in Edgartown Great Pond, close to a home owned by the Obamas. The Massachusetts State Police stated the previous president and first girl weren’t current on the time of the drowning.

Campbell had served as a White House sous chef throughout Barack Obama’s presidency and left in 2016 to work for the previous president and his spouse.

The workplace of Barack and Michelle Obama didn’t instantly reply to NPR’s request for remark, however in a joint assertion shared with a number of information shops, including the Associated Press, the couple characterised Campbell as 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,” the Obamas wrote. “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.”

The search for Campbell started on Sunday after a fellow paddleboarder noticed him dip into the water, reappear briefly, struggling to remain on the floor, then submerge solely, in keeping with a police assertion.

A restoration effort involving helicopters, boats, divers and detectives was paused briefly in a single day. Campbell’s physique was discovered simply earlier than 10 a.m. native time Monday, roughly 100 toes from shore by a ship deploying side-scanning sonar.

The chef leaves behind his spouse and twin sons, the Obamas stated of their assertion.

His demise can be investigated by Edgartown and Massachusetts police.