Ride pain leads to bond

DREAMWORLD’S Thunder River Rapids tragedy has forged an unlikely friendship between one of the grieving mothers and the company’s CEO.

Kim Dorsett, who lost children Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett as well as her son’s partner Roozi Araghi in the 2016 horror, has forged an extraordinary bond with Deborah Thomas, former head of the parent company Ardent Leisure.

Despite living in different cities, the two women talk regularly, often catch up and have even spent holidays together. While Ms Dorsett grieved for her children after the disaster, which also claimed NSW mother Cindy Low, Ms Thomas was in the hot seat as Ardent bumbled through the aftermath.

Ms Thomas became a target of community anger, even notifying police after repeated online threats.