For fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Susannah Fisher is much more than just a mother figure; she is the emotional core whose presence and absence shape the entire story. Her health struggle is a central part of the plot, deeply affecting her sons Conrad and Jeremiah, her best friend Laurel, and especially Belly. Understanding her diagnosis is key to understanding the show’s emotional weight.
What Cancer Did Susannah Fisher Have?
Susannah Fisher was diagnosed with breast cancer. The series shows her initially battling the disease and going into remission. However, in Season 1, the cancer returns, and this time it is terminal. Faced with another grueling round of treatment, Susannah makes a difficult choice. She decides to forgo further chemotherapy, wanting to avoid becoming a “shell of the person she was” and instead focuses on having one last, perfect summer with her family and best friend at Cousins Beach.
This storyline shows the “crushing hope that comes with being in remission and then having it come back.” Her decision to stop treatment highlights a desire to spend her final moments on her own terms, with the people she loves most.
Susannah’s Role in the Story
Susannah, portrayed by Rachel Blanchard, is the warm-hearted and free-spirited mother of Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher, and the lifelong best friend of Laurel Conklin. Every summer, she hosts Laurel and her children, Belly and Steven, at her luxurious beach house in Cousins Beach.
She shares a special bond with Belly, whom she often treats like the daughter she never had. From a young age, Susannah implanted the idea in Belly’s head that she was destined to end up with one of her sons, a notion that has fueled the central love triangle of the series.
Susannah told me that when I was born, she knew I was destined for one of her boys, Belly recounts, showing the depth of Susannah’s influence.
Her character creates a world of summer magic and nostalgia, but this idealized vision sometimes comes at a cost. She is often described as trying to uphold a “fantasy world” at Cousins, a world that disrupts the lives of those around her, even if her intentions are loving.
A Closer Look at Susannah’s Complicated Legacy
While Susannah is often seen as a radiant and loving figure, a closer look reveals a more complicated legacy that has sparked debate among fans. Her actions, though well-meaning, have lasting consequences for her sons and Belly.
Many viewers have pointed out that her decision to hide her terminal cancer diagnosis from her sons to have “one last glorious summer” was deeply problematic. When Conrad accidentally finds out, he is forced to carry the heavy burden alone, which affects his mental health and his relationship with his brother. This choice is seen as “selfish” by some, as it robbed her children of the time they needed to process and grieve.
Furthermore, her lifelong encouragement of the idea that Belly would marry one of her sons is viewed by some as putting undue pressure on all three teenagers. This “prophecy” is seen as a “shackle” that limited Belly’s choices and contributed to the rift between the Fisher brothers.
She essentially saddled him with the notion of brotherhood as only duty and obligation, but not love, one analysis noted about her deathbed conversation with Conrad.
Even in death, her influence is profound. In Season 3, a mix-up with letters she left for her sons reveals her true wish for Conrad to be with Belly, a discovery that dramatically alters the course of Jeremiah’s relationship.
How Susannah’s Illness Affects the Plot
Susannah’s cancer is a driving force behind the plot and character development in The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Her initial diagnosis and remission set the stage for the hopeful beginning of Season 1. The shocking return of her cancer creates immediate tension and drama, particularly when her sons discover she has been hiding it. Her ultimate death occurs between Seasons 1 and 2, casting a shadow over all the characters and their interactions.
The grief of losing her impacts everyone differently: Conrad becomes more closed off and troubled, Jeremiah hides his pain behind a cheerful facade, and Belly and Laurel struggle to navigate a world without their central figure of light and love. The memory of Susannah and her wishes continues to guide (and sometimes haunt) their decisions, especially in the complicated love triangle between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah. Her character remains a pivotal part of the story even after her passing, showing how a mother’s love and expectations can continue to shape lives long after she is gone.
