Barack Obama is paying tribute to Tafari Campbell.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the former President, 61, remembered the former White House sous chef who died on July 24 at the age of 45 following a paddle boarding accident near the Obamas’ Katama estate in Martha’s Vineyard.
Barack Obama’s Personal Chef Tafari Campbell Dead After Paddle Boarding Accident Near Martha’s Vineyard Estate
“He believed that actions speak louder than words. And he used his immense gifts to bring people together, provide comfort, and spread joy,” he added alongside pictures of Campbell. “I’ll miss him every day.”
The Obamas previously shared in a joint statement to PEOPLE that Campbell became their personal chef following their time in the White House due to his “warm, fun, extraordinarily kind” personality.
“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 read. “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.”
Who Is Tafari Campbell, the Obamas’ Chef Who Died While Paddle Boarding by Martha’s Vineyard?
The White House/Youtube
The statement added: “That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed. He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone.”
According to a news release from the Massachusetts State Police, his body was recovered by MSP Underwater Recovery Unit divers from a pond on Edgartown Great Road shortly before 10 a.m. ET on July 24. The discovery occurred after a search for Campbell began following a 911 call at 7:46 p.m. ET on July 23.
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The 911 call was for “a male paddle boarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface.” The Massachusetts State Police shared in a previous statement to PEOPLE that the former first couple “were not present at the residence at the time of the accident.”
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