Earlier this week, the newswire was blowing up over reports of a dead body found near the Obama compound on Martha's Vineyard.
The only detail that had been initially released was that it was a paddleboarder and it was very close to Obama's home on the island.
As it turns out, the individual was Obama's chef, Tafari Campbell, reported CNN.
Sad Day
I had a close call in the ocean once, and I can tell you, there is nothing more frightening than that feeling of helplessness when you realize the water is winning the battle.
I was lucky… a friend spotted me in time and grabbed me just about as I was to go under for the final time.
Campbell was not so lucky.
The 45-year-old chef was apparently paddleboarding at Edgartown Great Pond when something went horribly wrong.
Of course, we will never know what caused the accident, but Campbell's body was recovered about 100 feet from the shore, eight feet underwater.
The Obamas released a statement after Campbell's body was recovered and identified.
It read, "Tafari was 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.
"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," reported ABC News.
When Obama left the White House, they asked Campbell to come to work for them, and he "generously agreed."
The statement continued, "He's been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he's gone. Today we join everyone who knew and loved Tafari -- especially his wife Sherise and their twin boys, Xavier and Savin -- in grieving the loss of a truly wonderful man."
Politics aside, this is an absolutely horrific way to die and I truly feel for this man's family.
