Newly released 911 calls have provided a glimpse into the moments following the drowning of Tafari Campbell, the Obama family’s chef, near the former president’s Martha’s Vineyard compound in July.
In the first of two emergency calls, a Secret Service agent identified as Dave urgently reported the incident to the dispatcher, per the audio obtained by Daily Mail. The drowning occurred when Campbell, 45, reportedly fell off his paddle board into the Edgartown Great Pond, vanishing beneath the surface until his body was found the next day.
“We have a male drowning in the back of the property right now,” Dave told the dispatcher. “We have our rescue swimmers. They’re attempting to go out there right now.”
🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: the Dramatic audio reveals Secret Service agent’s 911 call for help after Barack Obama’s personal chef Tafari Campbell fell off paddle board and drowned on Martha’s Vineyard just got released.
Audio from two initial calls, shared today by the Dukes County… pic.twitter.com/PIt2iz1LFv
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) October 24, 2023
During the call, he mentioned at least one swimmer and another agent were trying reach the chef. The rescuers had not witnessed the drowning, but an unnamed individual alerted them of the news, the outlet noted.
The first 911 call ended after three minutes, with the agent giving the description of the chef. (RELATED: Obama’s Personal Chef Drowns In Pond Near Their Multi-Million Dollar Home: Reports)
The agent called again a few minutes later. During the second call, the Secret Service agent provided a more detailed description of the victim to the dispatcher.
“He’s wearing all black, he’s on a paddle board, he’s 40ish years old, black gentlemen, regular build.”
The agent also mentioned they had rescue swimmers on a boat in the area.
The agent confirmed the paddle-board and Campbell’s hat had been located but noted he was not wearing a life vest.
The dispatcher then ended the call by saying, “So we have everybody on the way over there now to meet with you guys and gather their resources.”
The Obamas released a statement after Campbell’s death.
“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,” the couple 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.”