The Obama family has endured significant personal losses recently. In March 2021, Sarah Onyango Obama, known as “Mama Sarah,” passed away at 99. The step-grandmother of Barack Obama, she was a revered Kenyan educator and philanthropist who raised his father and supported orphans through her foundation. In July 2023, tragedy struck again when Tafari Campbell, the Obamas’ personal chef and former White House sous chef,
drowned at 45 in a paddleboarding accident near their Martha’s Vineyard home, ruled accidental by officials. The Obamas mourned his warmth and talent. In May 2024, Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, died at 86. A pillar of support, she lived in the White House to care for her granddaughters, leaving a legacy of wisdom and resilience. These losses—each profound—have deeply affected the Obamas, marking a challenging period.
