Obama's chef drowns near the former president's home in Martha's Vineyard

The personal chef of the Obama family, whom he met when he worked in the White House, drowned near the house that the former president owns on Martha's Vineyard, an island located off the coast of Massachusetts where numerous celebrities have acquired mansions.

Tafari Campbell, 45, drowned Sunday night while paddle boarding. The Obamas were not at the residence that day.

On Monday, the Massachusetts State Police issued astatement press release in which he stated that Campbell "was visiting Martha's Vineyard at the time of his death."

According to the document, on the night of his death he entered "the water, appeared to briefly struggle to remain on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface." Another stand-up paddleboarder who was with him saw him submerge.

Around 7:45 pm emergency services received a call about a man in the water who was sinking and floating again, according to witnesses. Apparently he was not wearing a life jacket.

Divers began the search, which lasted about 15 hours, using side-scan sonar from a boat to locate Campbell. The sea conditions were good, with a temperature of 21 degrees.

The board appeared on Sunday, but the man's body was not recovered until Monday, shortly before 10:00 am. It was found about 30 meters from the shore, 2.5 meters deep, in Edgartown Great Pond, a lagoon with access to the sea very close to the Obamas' house.

So far it has not been specified whether the chef, born in Dumfries, Virginia, was staying at the former president's house.

Their friendship dated back more than a decade. According to the newspaperThe country, in the years when Obama was at the head of the government, Campbell was one of those in charge of producing honey on the south lawn of the White House, which was cared for by the then first lady, Michelle Obama. Together with her he collected the honey and then used it to make beer in the residence itself.

The couple issued a statement in which they mourn the death of "a truly wonderful man," and offer their condolences to his wife, Sherise, to whom he had been married for more than 23 years, and two twin sons, Savin and Zavier.

"Tafari was a beloved part of our family. When we met him, he was a talentedsous chef [deputy chef] at the White House: creative and passionate about food and its ability to bring people together. In the years that followed, we came to know him as a warm, funny, and extraordinarily kind person who made our lives a little brighter," the text recalls.

"So, when we were preparing to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He has been a part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he is gone," he adds.

The Cape and Islands District State Police Detective Unit and Edgartown Police are investigating Campbell's death.