EXCLUSIVE: Malia and Sasha Obama leave Martha’s Vineyard after the death of private chef Tafari Campbell, who was “a beloved part of the family.”
- Malia and Sasha flew in from Martha’s Vineyard Tuesday afternoon
- It is not clear how Tafari died or who he was rowing with.
Malia and Sasha Obama were seen flying off Martha’s Vineyard on Tuesday after the tragic death of the family’s private chef, Tafari Campbell.
Campbell, 45, died Sunday in an accident on the Great Edgartown Pond, a large but calm body of water on which the Obamas’ luxury condo sits.
It is unclear how exactly Tafari came to drown. He was a competent swimmer and the water where he paddleboarded is mostly calm, though neighbors say he can be deceptive.
There were other paddle boarders in the water at the time, but they have not yet been identified.
Sasha, 22, and Malia, 25, were seen leaving Martha’s Vineyard today after the death of the family’s private chef.
The two sisters kept a low profile as they made their way through the small airport.
Today, Malia and Sasha were calm and polite to the airline staff as they made their way through the small island’s airport. They have yet to comment on Tafari’s tragic death.
The married father of two spent 14 years working for the Obama family, first in the White House and then privately.
In a statement, Barack and Michelle Obama said he was a “loved” member of the family.
Earlier today, his wife Sherise posted on Instagram that she would be “forever heartbroken.”
‘My heart is broken. My life and the life of our family has changed forever.
“Please pray for me and our families as I deal with the loss of my husband,” she said.
The sisters are shown checking in for their flight this afternoon.
The two sisters flew commercials from Martha’s Vineyard today. There was no sign of his parents.
Sasha was carrying a large red leather bag and wearing leather flip-flops.
Malia was dressed in jeans, boots, a green hoodie, and a tank top.
Tarif Campbell died in a still unexplained accident in the pond behind the Obama home. He had been out paddling in the calm water last night and they saw him fall off the board.
In their statement yesterday, the Obamas, who were on the island but not home at the time of the accident, said: “When we met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House, creative and passionate about food and its ability to bring people together.”
“In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, funny and extraordinarily kind person who made our lives just a little bit brighter.”
So as we prepared 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.”
Malia brought her own large suitcase to the airport before her flight.
Pictured: Great Edgartown Pond. The scene of Campbell’s desperate search began after a stand-up paddleboarder disappeared in the water off Martha’s Vineyard Sunday.
