Mob Wives star Angela 'Big Ang' Raiola has passed away at the age of 55 after a battle with lung, throat and brain cancer. A Twitter message posted on Thursday on behalf of the family confirmed the news. "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 message read.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAngela 'Big Ang' Raiola has lost her battle with cancer
"She was surrounded by nothing but love from her immediate family, and the closest friends. YOU (her fans) were some of the most special people in the world, and she loved you immensely. Thank you for your love, prayers and unconditional support of Angela right to the very end. "Angela – who was the niece of Salvatore 'Sally Dogs' Lombardi, a captain of the infamous Genovese crime family - leaves behind her husband Neil Murphy, two children and six grandchildren.She made her debut on Mob Wives in 2012, and went on to appear in her own spin-off shows, Big Ang and Miami Monkey.
She was first diagnosed with throat cancer in March 2015 after doctors discovered a lemon-sized tumour. "Things happen for a reason," she told People last year. "I'd smoked for 40 years. No one could tell me what to do."After two surgeries, she thought she was in the clear, only to be diagnosed with stage VI lung and brain cancer."One day I was perfectly fine, thinking I had strep throat, the next thing I know I have stage II cancer," Angela told Dr. Oz during an interview that aired on Tuesday, February 16. "It's shocking what happened. First I thought I was cancer-free and I was gonna have a big celebration, have a party, and then a month later I [had] stage IV [cancer]."Earlier this month, her family set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money for the star's medical bills. "We're a very tight family," she told Dr. Oz. "If my family wasn't here to support me through all this, I don't think I could do it."
