EXCLUSIVE: Malia and Sasha Obama are pictured leaving Martha’s Vineyard following the death of private chef Tafari Campbell who was ‘beloved part of the family’
- Malia and Sasha flew out of Martha’s Vineyard on Tuesday afternoon
- It remains unclear how Tafari died or who he was supping with
Malia and Sasha Obama flew away from Martha’s Vineyard on Tuesday following the tragic death of the family’s private chef, Tafari Campbell.
Campbell, 45, died Sunday in an accident on Great Edgartown Pond, a large but calm body of water on which the Obamas’ luxurious pillow sits.
It remains unclear exactly how Tafari drowned. He was a skilled swimmer and the water where he paddleboarded is usually calm, though neighbors say it can be deceiving.
There was another paddleboarder on the water at the time, but it has not yet been identified.
Sasha, 22, and Malia, 25, were spotted leaving Martha’s Vineyard today following the death of the family’s private chef
The two sisters kept a low profile as they made their way through the small airfield
Today, Malia and Sasha were quiet and polite to the airline staff as they made their way through the small island’s airport. They have not yet commented on Tafari’s tragic death.
The married father of two worked for the Obama family for 14 years, first in the White House and then privately.
In a statement, Barack and Michelle Obama said he was a “beloved” 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 that of our family has been forever changed.
“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 commercially out of Martha’s Vineyard today. There was no trace of their parents
Sasha was carrying a large red leather tote bag and wearing leather slippers
Malia was dressed in jeans, boots, a green hoodie and a tank top
Tarif Campbell died in an unexplained accident on the pond behind the Obamas’ home. He had gone paddle boarding on the calm waters last night and was seen falling 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 first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House – creative and passionate about food and the ability to bring people together.
“In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, exceptionally nice person who made our whole life a little bit brighter.”
“That’s why, as we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed.
“He’s been a part of our lives ever since and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.”
Malia dragged her own large suitcase to the airport before her flight
Pictured: Edgartown Great Pond. The scene of the desperate search for Campbell was launched after a paddleboarder went missing in the water at Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday