 | "Last Thursday Big Ang died. SHe was fifty-five. It had been ten months since she was first diagnosed with cancer." |
Last Thursday Big Ang died. She was fifty five. It had been ten months since she was first diagnosed with cancer. More recently she’d been diagnosed with stage four brain and lung cancer, so she as well as her fans knew her prognosis was not good. But when I found out early Thursday morning that Angela “Big Ang” Raiola had passed away, I was shocked.
A week before, I’d been talking with a friend about Angela and her condition.
“She’s going to die,” I said. I knew this. But I didn’t realize how quickly she would go, and I don’t think she realized this either. A couple days before her death Ang appeared with Dr. Mehmet Oz on his show, The Dr. Oz show. She walked out with a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck to hide the scar from the tumor she’d had removed months before. The tumor she went on to describe as “the size of a lemon.”
A week before, I’d been talking with a friend about Angela and her condition.
“She’s going to die,” I said. I knew this. But I didn’t realize how quickly she would go, and I don’t think she realized this either. A couple days before her death Ang appeared with Dr. Mehmet Oz on his show, The Dr. Oz show. She walked out with a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck to hide the scar from the tumor she’d had removed months before. The tumor she went on to describe as “the size of a lemon.”
As Big Ang walked out, it was clear something was wrong. Her trademark black hair was cropped short and dyed blonde in anticipation of her chemotherapy. A colorful scarf hung down over her dark top. She was, as usual, larger than life. Her lips, her chest, the deep voice. Big Ang was something from another world. But that day with Dr. Oz, she looked vulnerable.
“You’re so handsome,” she said as she sat down. Her voice was deep and gravelly, like a Staten Island Louis Armstrong in pink lipstick. It wasn’t long before Dr. Oz got personal with Angela, asking her about her diagnosis. She teared up as she told him that after undergoing surgery for the throat cancer in April, she was believed to be cancer free. The doctors told her to throw a party, to celebrate her life and her health. She began to cry as she told him; before she got a chance to celebrate, she was diagnosed with stage four lung and brain cancer. And from there, things moved quickly.
Angela was known for starring in the reality series Mob Wives. The show is exactly what it sounds like, a conglomeration of the wives and women connected to men incarcerated for involvement with the Mob. It’s a show that, understandably, revolves around drama and hotheadedness. Big Ang was the fan favorite; she found her place as the mediator. Ang was the voice of reason, the group mother. She brought what felt like common sense to a show revolving around a lack of it.
Viewers loved Angela for her humor. Just by being herself she made people laugh. The lips, the breasts, the voice, the over-the-top personality. She found a way to laugh in every moment of the show, lightheartedly making fun of herself and the other women with a refreshing self-awareness.
Big Ang also earned her cult following through her warmth. The show often touched on her family life and nothing was clearer than how filled with love her home was. She lived with her children and her grandchildren, and it was impossible not to feel how much she cared for them. In typical Italian fashion, there was always food. Always more than enough for everyone. Ang always made sure that everyone was eating.
In an interview after her death, Ang’s co-stars Carla Facciolo and Karen Gravano spoke about visiting her days earlier in the hospital.
“When we went to the hospital … we brought her food and we were like, ‘Do you need anything?’ and she was like, ‘Eat that, open this, do you have enough food?’”
“‘Stop eatin’ the fruit, Carla, have some mac ‘n’ cheese,’’ Carla quoted Ang before saying, “She was taking care of us, getting us spoons. She was serving us.”
Ang was not the drama of Mob Wives, but rather the heart.
“She wasn’t about drama, she was about fun,” Karen said, “I think Ang was a great mother. An amazing grandmother, sister… friend. She’s an angel and I was blessed to be around her.”
Angela was admitted into hospital care after contracting pneumonia, probably worsened by her weakened immune system from the chemo. She was quickly surrounded by her friends and her enormous family; she was surrounded by a lot of love.
Wednesday evening it was falsely reported that Angela had died. A personal source quickly debunked this on her Instagram account, writing that the news was “totally inaccurate.”
“Angela is still in the hospital surrounded by her loved ones, and is fighting. Thank you.” the post read.
Thursday morning a photo of Angela was posted on the account. Her long hair floated out behind her, her arms were outstretched and she looked happy. The caption read, “It is with sad regret that we inform you that at 3:01AM Angela Raiola peacefully ended her battle with cancer, and was called home.”
The post, now one week old exactly, has 33,614 comments and counting. In a fashion quite unlike that of social media, the comments are overwhelmingly positive.
“RIP BIG ANG! I LOVE U AND WILL ALWAYS MISS U.”
“RIP Big Ang. I feel like I lost one of my own. Glad the world got a chance to meet, know and love you for the awesome person you were.”
“Rest in peace Ang! You are such a beautiful spirit to me.”
They all read like this; words of love and respect for her as well as condolences for her family.
Her funeral mass was held at the Renaissance Revival sanctuary of the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn on Monday, February 22nd. It was an event attended by hundreds and reported on by the New York Times.
Angela is to be laid to rest at the Resurrection Cemetery in Staten Island. She is survived by her sister Janine, her two children, Raquel and Anthony and her six grandchildren.
May she rest in peace.
“You’re so handsome,” she said as she sat down. Her voice was deep and gravelly, like a Staten Island Louis Armstrong in pink lipstick. It wasn’t long before Dr. Oz got personal with Angela, asking her about her diagnosis. She teared up as she told him that after undergoing surgery for the throat cancer in April, she was believed to be cancer free. The doctors told her to throw a party, to celebrate her life and her health. She began to cry as she told him; before she got a chance to celebrate, she was diagnosed with stage four lung and brain cancer. And from there, things moved quickly.
Angela was known for starring in the reality series Mob Wives. The show is exactly what it sounds like, a conglomeration of the wives and women connected to men incarcerated for involvement with the Mob. It’s a show that, understandably, revolves around drama and hotheadedness. Big Ang was the fan favorite; she found her place as the mediator. Ang was the voice of reason, the group mother. She brought what felt like common sense to a show revolving around a lack of it.
Viewers loved Angela for her humor. Just by being herself she made people laugh. The lips, the breasts, the voice, the over-the-top personality. She found a way to laugh in every moment of the show, lightheartedly making fun of herself and the other women with a refreshing self-awareness.
Big Ang also earned her cult following through her warmth. The show often touched on her family life and nothing was clearer than how filled with love her home was. She lived with her children and her grandchildren, and it was impossible not to feel how much she cared for them. In typical Italian fashion, there was always food. Always more than enough for everyone. Ang always made sure that everyone was eating.
In an interview after her death, Ang’s co-stars Carla Facciolo and Karen Gravano spoke about visiting her days earlier in the hospital.
“When we went to the hospital … we brought her food and we were like, ‘Do you need anything?’ and she was like, ‘Eat that, open this, do you have enough food?’”
“‘Stop eatin’ the fruit, Carla, have some mac ‘n’ cheese,’’ Carla quoted Ang before saying, “She was taking care of us, getting us spoons. She was serving us.”
Ang was not the drama of Mob Wives, but rather the heart.
“She wasn’t about drama, she was about fun,” Karen said, “I think Ang was a great mother. An amazing grandmother, sister… friend. She’s an angel and I was blessed to be around her.”
Angela was admitted into hospital care after contracting pneumonia, probably worsened by her weakened immune system from the chemo. She was quickly surrounded by her friends and her enormous family; she was surrounded by a lot of love.
Wednesday evening it was falsely reported that Angela had died. A personal source quickly debunked this on her Instagram account, writing that the news was “totally inaccurate.”
“Angela is still in the hospital surrounded by her loved ones, and is fighting. Thank you.” the post read.
Thursday morning a photo of Angela was posted on the account. Her long hair floated out behind her, her arms were outstretched and she looked happy. The caption read, “It is with sad regret that we inform you that at 3:01AM Angela Raiola peacefully ended her battle with cancer, and was called home.”
The post, now one week old exactly, has 33,614 comments and counting. In a fashion quite unlike that of social media, the comments are overwhelmingly positive.
“RIP BIG ANG! I LOVE U AND WILL ALWAYS MISS U.”
“RIP Big Ang. I feel like I lost one of my own. Glad the world got a chance to meet, know and love you for the awesome person you were.”
“Rest in peace Ang! You are such a beautiful spirit to me.”
They all read like this; words of love and respect for her as well as condolences for her family.
Her funeral mass was held at the Renaissance Revival sanctuary of the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn on Monday, February 22nd. It was an event attended by hundreds and reported on by the New York Times.
Angela is to be laid to rest at the Resurrection Cemetery in Staten Island. She is survived by her sister Janine, her two children, Raquel and Anthony and her six grandchildren.
May she rest in peace.
