Susan Harling Robinson’s son, Luke, died at the age of 33 due to complications related to HIV/AIDS.
Susan Harling Robinson is a character inspired by the real-life story of Susan Harling, who was the sister of playwright Robert Harling. Robert Harling wrote the play “Steel Magnolias” as a way to cope with his sister’s death. In the play and its film adaptation, Susan’s character is renamed Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, and she suffers from type 1 diabetes.
In the story, Shelby has a son named Jack Jr. Despite warnings from her doctors about the dangers of pregnancy to her health, Shelby decides to have a child. Her health deteriorates after the birth due to kidney failure, a complication of her diabetes. In the film adaptation, Shelby goes into a coma and is taken off life support, passing away while her son is still very young.
The character of Shelby is a representation of Susan Harling’s own struggles with diabetes and her decision to have a child despite the risks. The play and movie focus on the strength and resilience of the women in Shelby’s life, as they deal with her illness and death. The character of Shelby’s son, Jack Jr., is left to grow up without his mother, and the impact of her death on him is a poignant element of the story, although it is not the central focus. The play and film are tributes to Susan’s life and the bond among the women in her family and community.