By Cary Shuman
It is 8 o’clock on a Thursday morning and television and print reporters are ready to participate in a media roundtable with Vlad Link, of Chelsea, Massachusetts, the U.S. Navy sailor who supported the Artemis II crew upon its return to Earth.
Link is a U.S. Chief Medical Corpsman who has been in the national spotlight for his key role as a member of the dive medical team that was first to meet the astronauts in the space capsule after it touched down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026 and to assist the crew safely out of the space capsule. The event was watched live by tens of millions of people worldwide.
Link, a 2007 graduate of Chelsea High School, will join his fellow members of the dive team – Lt. Commander Jesse Wang, Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Laddy Aldridge, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Steve Kapala – forever in the annals of American history as the nation reestablishes itself as the leader in space exploration.
Link is now a Chelsea celebrity of the highest order. The city’s chief executive and state legislators, City Manager Fidel Castro, Rep. Judith Garcia, and State Sen. Sal DiDomenico, intend to give Link “a hero’s welcome,” upon his return to the city. He will be in demand as a speaker in the Chelsea school district, representing a positive role model for all students, especially for those pursuing a career in the sciences.
During the telephone interview, which was so professionally and precisely executed by Lt. Commander Katherine Diener, Force Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Navy – who graciously allowed for a second round of questions by reporters – Link was respectful, courteous, eloquent, and personable – all qualities his former classmates and teachers at Chelsea High knew so well.
Diener began the conference, stating,“I want to send my sincerest thanks for all of you dialing in this morning and highlighting the incredible professionalism, skill, and teamwork of our Navy divers and medical team.”
In his opening remarks, Link noted how proud he was of his Chelsea roots, a theme of hometown pride he carried throughout the media session.
“I wanted to start this off to let you know that I am a native of Chelsea, Massachusetts and it’s been such a humbling experience to be here with you today following our Artemis II recovery effort,” said Link. “My small and hard-working community helped me shape my commitment to service that led me to the United States Navy nearly 20 years ago. I started in Chelsea, unsure how all these events transpired over the past few days, but even now, I can still say that I’m serving in my dream job as Navy sailor. Participating in the recovery of Artemis II and the crew in the spacecraft was the opportunity of a lifetime. When I started in Chelsea, I didn’t imagine myself here today. It was one of my dreams, but all the hard work paid off. It has brought together the very best of what our nation represents.”
Link said he still has fond memories of his years growing up in the city and being a student in the Chelsea school district.
“It was humbling being around a community from all backgrounds, coming from such a beautiful place,” said Link. “Being away all these years, it has shown me how Chelsea has gotten better and better, and there was no better way to represent – being a part of the sports and school system there set me up for success. I can recall that some of the teachers there, they gave their best. Chelsea, back then, had its issues, but a lot of the teachers there in the school system gave their best for hope. I can name a couple of my teachers, Miss Carol Resnek and Mr. Steven Treadway – they believed in my dream. They told me to never give up and continue working toward these goals. The school system really pushed people that wanted to achieve a bigger goal, and it clearly shows.”
Link told reporters, “Right now, the support coming from Chelsea High, from City Hall, from the entire city, from every person there I’m getting messages, phone calls that they are thankful, and they are proud that we’re representing Chelsea across the entire nation.”
Link was asked by Monica Madeja of NBC10 Boston, “What would you say to kids in Chelsea who see where you’re from and maybe dream of a career in the military, or maybe they just have a dream that they think might be hard to achieve – what would you say to them?”
Replied Link, “I would say, never stop dreaming. Coming from a 1.5-square mile city, and being here where I am today, I’m honored to represent the City of Chelsea. Don’t stop dreaming, but dreams come with hard work, so you need to work. You need to be committed. You need to stay focused. People say today you gotta lock in, that way, you can achieve these goals, because when opportunity comes, you need to be prepared. So, that’s what I have to pass on to this generation. The opportunity will come, you just need to be prepared. And never stop working hard, and stay humble.”
Link was asked by Boston Globe reporter Hannah Goeke about the moment he found out that he was selected for this mission.”
“The moment I found out that I was selected for this mission, I was a little nervous because I knew that Artemis II needed to launch,” responded Link. “Artemis had been delayed already, and I did not want to miss out on this job. I wanted to do it, a childhood dream you know. So, the moment I was selected, I continued my preparation, making sure that all my medical training with diving, hyperbarics, and my knowledge of space medicine and trauma was what this crew would need if they needed my help. So, I was in awe. I was excited and even until I opened that capsule, I could not believe it. Until the next day, I came home, I sat down and I was with family, it hit me. The time came.”
The Chelsea Record reporter read a statement from City Manager Fidel Maltez that had appeared in Thursday’s edition, his quotes expressing the city’s pride for Link’s “integral role in the historic Artemis II splashdown.”
“We’re overjoyed that he represents our city, our state, and as someone of Russian and Latino heritage, that he represents Chelsea’s diverse community inspiring people of all backgrounds,” added Maltez in the front-page story.
“I’m humbled,” said Link about Maltez’s thoughtful remarks. “To be honest, those words really get to me. The pride of Chelsea lives on. This is a reminder that I will share with everyone. This is special and dear to me because I come from Chelsea. A couple of years ago, I was on the U.S.S. Missouri in Hawaii, and I should have known this in my career, but I did not. I looked at a clock, and it said, “Chelsea Clock.” And I stopped and I asked someone, and they said, ‘yes, Chelsea Clocks were built in Chelsea.’ It was full circle. Being able to be here, representing the community, and having the recognition from our city, it means the world to me. There’s not enough words for me to describe how I’m feeling about all the support I’m receiving from every person there.”
Chelsea residents are excitedly waiting for the opportunity to greet Vlad Link and congratulate the man who has brought so much credit, honor, and distinction to the U.S. Navy, himself, his family, and the city he calls home.
Get your autograph books ready.