Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, were out and about just days after the drowning death of their personal chef, Tafari Campbell, the Conservative Brief reported. Campbell's body was recovered from a pond near the Obama's Martha's Vineyard estate on Monday, July 24, just a day after he went missing.
The Obamas did not appear too troubled by Campbell's death despite his role in their lives. Campbell acted as their personal chef for 14 years, but they also considered him a friend.
Still, two days after Campbell's body was pulled from the Edgartown Great Pond near their home, the former president was out and about. Barack Obama also played a round of golf later that same week, hitting the exclusive Vineyard Golf Club, which is open to members only.
Meanwhile, Michelle Obama played tennis with friends at an Oak Bluffs country club on the Friday following Campbell's death. If they were in mourning, they certainly weren't showing it.
Campbell was last seen standing on his paddle board in the body of water near the Obama's estate. A witness who was also paddle boarding at the time said Campbell fell off and went under the water as he was not wearing a life jacket.
The witness tried to rescue Campbell but rushed ashore to call for help when those efforts failed. A 911 call was made from the Obama's $12 million estate, but the couple was not at home at the time.
Authorities began a search that night that was briefly called off. However, by the next morning, police had recovered his body with the help of sonar equipment.
The late friend of the Obamas was only about 100 feet offshore in an area that was about 8 feet deep. Police say no foul play was involved in this tragic and sudden death, but it mirrors the death of another executive White House chef that happened in 2015.
Walter Scheib, who served under both former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, died by drowning during a hike in Taos, New Mexico. There's no connection between the two events except the uncanny coincidence.
In contrast to their visible eagerness to move on so quickly, the former president and first lady expressed their grief in a joint statement. They claimed they considered Campbell an important part of their personal and professional lives.
“Tafari was a beloved part of our family,” the former president and his first lady said in a joint statement. "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 said.
"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," they reminisced. “That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed," the couple pointed out.
"He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone," the Obamas said of Campbell. The 45-year-old is survived by his wife and twin sons, according to CBS News.
After a tragedy like this, it's possible the Obamas have chosen to be with friends to work through their grief. However, it's not a good look considering the circumstances of his death.
