The Obama family is devastated as their personal chef, Tafari Campbell, was discovered dead after a paddleboarding outing near their vacation home. Campbell, a former White House chef, had been paddleboarding on a Martha’s Vineyard lake when he vanished beneath the water.
Massachusetts State Police responded to the incident, reporting, “A call for a male paddleboarder who had gone into the water, appeared to briefly struggle to stay on the surface, and then submerged and did not resurface.” After an overnight search, Campbell’s body was found the following morning. Campbell had previously served as a sous chef in the White House before becoming the Obamas’ personal cook. Fortunately, the former president and Michelle Obama were not present at the time of the accident. In a statement, the Obamas expressed their grief, calling Campbell “a beloved part of our family” and expressing how their “hearts are broken that he’s gone.”
Tito Jackson, brother of Michael Jackson and co-founder of Jackson 5, dead at 70, sons say
Tito Jackson, brother of the late Michael Jackson and co-founder of the Jackson 5, has died. He was 70 years old.
His family made the stunning announcement Sunday.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us,” Tito’s sons TJ, Taj and Taryll said in a statement on Instagram. “We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken.”
While an official cause of death has yet to be determined, Steve Manning, former Jackson family manager, told Entertainment Tonight, he believed the pop icon died of a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma on Sunday.
Tito, born Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson in October 1953 and the third of 10 children, was the least-heard member of the Jackson 5 as he was a backup singer and played guitar for the group, while his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael were more prominently featured.
During their time as the Jackson 5, the family produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s including “ABC,” “I Want You Back,” and “I’ll Be There.” They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Tito was last seen in Munich, Germany, on September 9, prior to a scheduled performance with his brothers Jackie and Marlon Jackson. The trio have two more performances left on their 2024 tour, however it’s unclear how The Jacksons will handle the upcoming shows.
“Some of you may know him as Tito Jackson from the legendary Jackson 5, some may know him as ‘Coach Tito’ or some know him as ‘Poppa T.’ Nevertheless, he will be missed tremendously. It will forever be ‘Tito Time’ for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached and that is ‘Love One Another.’ We love you Pops,” his sons wrote on their own music group’s Instagram page.
It is devastating to hear the news about Tito Jackson. May he rest in peace, and may his family find comfort in knowing that so many people are thinking of them during this extremely difficult time.
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