PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WJAR) — Friends of Rhonda Dorgan are remembering her as the “calm in the storm” and the heart of their close-knit group after she was shot and killed Monday during her son’s hockey game in Pawtucket.
Police said 56-year-old Robert Dorgan shot and killed his ex-wife, 52-year-old Rhonda Dorgan, and her 23-year-old son, Aidan Dorgan, inside the Dennis M. Lynch Arena. Three others were injured, including Rhonda’s parents and family friend Tom Geruso, an assistant principal at Charles E. Shea High School in Pawtucket.
Investigators believe the shooting targeted family members, though a motive has not yet been confirmed. Police said Dorgan, who also went by Roberta Esposito, later turned the gun on themself.
Jennifer Miller, who knew Rhonda for about 12 years, spoke with NBC 10’s Leanna Faulk. (WJAR)
For Rhonda’s longtime friends, the violence feels impossible to reconcile with the woman they knew.
“It’s been very surreal,” said Jennifer Miller, who knew Rhonda for about 12 years. “Like it’s hard to believe that she’s gone and that she’s not part here with us because she would be right here with us if she was still here.”
Rhonda met many of her closest friends through her daughter’s dance school more than a decade ago. The group traveled together for competitions, shared hotel rooms and celebrated milestones as their children grew up.
Jennifer Cordeiro, who knew Rhonda for about 12 or 13 years, described her as someone who instantly made others feel safe and loved.
Friends of Rhonda Dorgan looking through photos on Wednesday night, Feb. 18, 2026. (WJAR)
“She just made everyone feel comfortable and feel that they were loved and the most amazing mom you could ever meet,” Cordeiro said.
Friends said Rhonda played a steadying role in their group of dance and sports moms.
“She was the calm in the storm,” Cordeiro said. “The kids knew to go to her because she would just make everything just alright. She was just amazing.”
Miller described her as a dependable friend and devoted parent.
“She was such a kind, caring person. She’s somebody you could call in the middle of the night and say ‘I need your help,’ and she would be right there,” Miller said. “She was always everybody’s biggest cheerleader, especially the kids.”
Miller said Rhonda’s positivity defined her.
“She was the center of our group. She was the one who just kept everybody happy and smiling and laughing,” Miller said. “She just had this loud, infectious laugh. You could just hear it no matter where you were. We could be in a crowded ballroom, and you could hear her cheering and laughing.”
Friends said that same devotion extended to her children.
Jennifer Cordeiro, who knew Rhonda for about 12 or 13 years, described her as someone who instantly made others feel safe and loved. (WJAR)
“They [Rhonda’s children] know that we are here and that we will do anything that they need or to help them in any way that they need,” Cordeiro said.
Miller echoed that sentiment, saying the group considers Rhonda’s children their own.
“I think as close as our group has been all these years, our kids are all each other’s kids,” Miller said. “We feel that we’re responsible for them to make sure that everything is okay and that they’re able to continue on and live the way Rhonda would want them to.”
Friends and family have created a GoFundMe to help Rhonda’s children during this difficult time.
Police continue to investigate the shooting.
