Passenger from Dreamworld’s doomed Thunder River Rapids ride to receive bravery award

A passenger from the infamous Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids disaster will be given a bravery award for his heroic acts in the midst of the tragedy.

A tourist on Dreamworld’s doomed Thunder River Rapids ride who dived into the swirling waters in a frantic bid to save other passengers will receive a bravery award for his heroic act.

Steve Apthorp, who was on holidays on the Gold Coast with his family from the NSW south coast town of Ulladulla on the infamous day in October 2016, will on Friday be presented with a bronze medal for bravery from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia at Brisbane City Hall.

Mr Apthorp and his now former wife have suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since the horrific disaster which left Kate Goodchild, Luke Dorsett, Roozi Araghi and Cindy Low dead, and they eventually sued Dreamworld’s parent company Ardent Leisure over the ordeal.

Steve Apthorpe. Picture: supplied

The Apthorps and their two young children were travelling in the raft ahead of the ill-fated one when it bumped into theirs and tilted skywards, sending all six occupants from the second craft toppling into the conveyor belt below.

While two children somehow slipped past the conveyor belt to safety, the four adults sustained horrific injuries which ultimately proved fatal.

However, after first ensuring his own family was safe, Mr Apthorp dived into the flowing water and attempted to perform CPR on Ms Goodchild.

He wasn’t the only one who jumped into the waters amid the chaos.

Ms Goodchild’s partner Dave Turner, who had been minding their baby near the exit ramp, and Dreamworld first aid manager Shane Green also dived into the water.

Mr Turner would later disappear after leaving his vehicle in a car park overlooking the Murrumbidgee River near Canberra, while Mr Green would later reveal his own harrowing battle with PTSD, eventually receiving a compensation settlement from Ardent leisure’s insurers.

Dave Turner missing, feared drowned, five years after partner killed in Dreamworld’s Thunder River Rapids tragedy

Very much a reluctant hero, Mr Apthorp told The Courier-Mail it would be bittersweet to accept the award after the trauma and heartache he and others went through – especially the families of the victims.

“I sort of didn’t really want to take the award,” he said.

“I was like, why should I accept an award for doing what anyone would have done in the circumstances?”

Mr Apthorp said his counsellor and doctor had convinced him to accept the award but it would still bring back painful memories, and he will be supported by a friend at the presentation.

Humane society secretary Sue Cutler said Mr Apthorp was a deserving recipient of the prestigious award for his heroic actions that day.

“He risked his life in this instance, jumping into the water and starting CPR when no one knew if it was safe,” she said.

“It was a very precarious situation.”

Mr Apthorp was contacted last year about his award by Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll, who is the patron of the Queensland chapter of the humane society.

Commissioner Carroll said Mr Apthorp richly deserved his bravery award.

“Mr Apthorp found himself thrust into an extraordinary life-or-death circumstance where, without hesitation, he set aside his own wellbeing and safety to help another,” she said.

“It’s not every day people rise above and beyond, and it is fitting that we take a moment to

award Mr Apthorp for his bravery.”

He is one of ten people who will receive bravery awards in a special presentation by the humane society on Friday.

Thousands of flowers were left outside Dreamworld after the tragedy. Picture: Chris Hyde (Getty Images)

Memorial garden opens at Dreamworld for victims of Thunder River Rapids tragedy

Originally published as Passenger from Dreamworld’s doomed Thunder River Rapids ride to receive bravery award