“Newly-Released Secret Service Records Shed Light on Chaotic Rescue Attempt of Obama’s Personal Chef in Martha’s Vineyard”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Newly-released records from the Secret Service have shed light on the chaotic early moments as agents scrambled to rescue Barack Obama’s personal chef, Tafari Campbell, in Martha’s Vineyard. The incident occurred on the night of July 23, when Campbell drowned while paddleboarding in Edgartown Great Pond. The records, obtained by conservative activist group Judicial Watch, reveal that agents struggled to get motorboats into the water with just 15 minutes of daylight remaining.

According to the reports, agents attempted to start two motorboats on the property, one of which belonged to the Secret Service, but were unsuccessful. Eventually, they were able to start a third boat belonging to the groundskeeper. Unfortunately, by the time they were able to get the boat in the water, it was too late. Campbell, 45, never resurfaced and his body was recovered the following day.

The incident reports, consisting of 33 heavily redacted pages, confirm the initial accounts provided by state and local police that Campbell drowned while paddleboarding. However, they do provide some new information, including the last name of the woman who was paddleboarding with Campbell when the incident occurred – Taylor. Previous reports had identified her as a 26-year-old Obama staffer.

The records also detail the events leading up to the tragedy. One agent, John Crunkilton Jr., reported seeing Campbell and the other staffer leaving the president’s residence with two stand-up paddleboards. Approximately 20 to 30 minutes later, the woman ran towards him frantically waving her arms, informing him that Campbell had drowned. She explained that he fell into the water, struggled for a few seconds, and then sank underwater. She had tried to help by pushing a paddleboard towards him, but he was unable to grab it.

Crunkilton immediately notified the command post and asked the woman to show him where the incident occurred. He then sprinted to the command post to get the keys for the Secret Service boat, as the other boats on the property were not functioning properly. Eventually, they were able to use a third boat belonging to the groundskeeper to search for Campbell.

The search commenced with little time remaining before sunset. The agents quickly found Campbell’s hat and paddle drifting in the water, followed by the paddleboard washed up on the shore. Crunkilton entered the water and searched for 10 to 20 minutes before continuing the search in darkness with flashlights. The agents were eventually called to the incident command post, where President Obama was present along with local authorities.

Efforts were made to locate Campbell using his Apple Watch, and his phone was searched for in the residence. However, the search was called off around 11:30 p.m. Divers continued the search the next morning, and Campbell’s body was eventually located with the assistance of sonar.

The Secret Service internal communications during the search expressed concern for Campbell and his family. The drowning incident began to receive press coverage, and efforts were made to contact Campbell’s wife in Virginia and bring her to Martha’s Vineyard. The following day, a member of the Obama Protective Division shared the sad news with colleagues, highlighting Campbell’s contributions as a personal chef and expressing condolences to his family.

Campbell’s death was officially ruled an accidental drowning, but questions remain about how an experienced swimmer and paddleboarder could drown in shallow water near the ex-president’s summer home. The records provide insight into the frantic rescue efforts and the subsequent grief experienced by the Secret Service team..