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Tag: Angela Raiola

  • Angela Raiola: “Mob Wives” Star Big Ang’s Eulogy, “To Know Angela Was to Love Angela”

    Angela Raiola: “Mob Wives” Star Big Ang’s Eulogy, “To Know Angela Was to Love Angela”

    Angela Raiola, the Mob Wives star best known as Big Ang, died on February 18 of cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones as she passed away. Two of those loved ones–friends Diane Morton-Gattulo and Vinnie Medugno–shared some poignant thoughts about Angela Raiola at her funeral. Morton-Gattulo wrote the eulogy. Medugno delivered it.

    It was nearly a week ago that mourners gathered at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Angela Raiola’s hometown of Brooklyn, New York to say goodbye to Big Ang. More than 200 people filled the church.

    “To know Angela was to love Angela. She was not the sentimental and overly affectionate type. In fact that made her uncomfortable if you “cramped her style.” If you were a good time, and fun hearted like her; that was all of the love she needed to share with you. Her actions spoke volumes to explain just how BIG she loved,” one part of the eulogy reads.

    “Angela was the type to give of herself time, and again. In the very short time of her celebrity coming into her life, she paid it forward more times than anybody I know, probably better than most of today’s A-List names that have much more than she ever did. Charity and humanity were two of the best characteristics and qualities that Angela embodied,” the eulogy continues.

    The eulogy honoring Angela Raiola went on, sharing her love of giving back to those less fortunate.

    “There wasn’t a charity or cause too big or too small for Angela to lend a helping hand to. She never turned anyone down, unless she was out of town, and still in good faith made a monetary donation to that cause or foundation. Many of times I personally accompanied Angela on long stretch evenings of three paid appearances, and she would stop at a charity event or personal cause, even if it were for just a half hour, un-paid and lend her services of meeting and greeting with fans to raise money and give support.”

    Fans can read Angela Raiola’s eulogy in its entirety on People magazine’s website.

    Mob Wives creator and producer Jennifer Graziano asked People to publish Angela Raiola’s eulogy, with permission from Vinnie Medugno and Diane Morton-Gattulo.

  • Big Ang, Star Of “Mob Wives”, Told Her Sister To “Get Over” Her Death

    Big Ang, also known as Angela Raiola, was honored by her friends and family at her funeral mass on Monday.

    Big Ang was bigger than life and touched the lives of all those around her with her tough demeanor and tender heart.

    The sister of Big Ang, Janine Detore, gave a moving speech to honor her sister and share a sweet moment between sisters.

    She said, “A few days before her death, my sister said she was at peace with dying and she was ready. I said, ‘I’m not!’ She said, ‘Get over it!’”

    She added, “She was a star long before TV. Mob Wives didn’t make her a star, she made the show a hit.”

    One in a million .. #ogs #mobwives Your condolences are greatly appreciated .. Ang loved her fans

    A photo posted by Renee Graziano (@reneegraziano) on

    Detore also revealed that her and Big Ang made a pact before her death to care for each other’s kids and grandkids should anything happen to either one of them and indicated that she intended to keep that pact.

    In fact, Detore’s daughter and Big Ang’s neice also shared some of her speech honoring her aunt on Instagram.

    (Continuation)… Boop there. I truly believe everything happens for a reason and now I believe that AJ, Gabby, Angelina, and Robert are living at my house because that's where you would want them to be. I'm so grateful to have a part of you during this difficult time. I see you in Angelina so much especially when she asks us to put rollers in her hair. Angelina is just like you she knocks on my door, sits at my vanity, puts red lipstick on with my red wig and dances around. There are so many memories, secrets, obstacles, and accomplishments you've created with me and my family that can last a lifetime. The bond we had with each other is indescribable. Our last text was you texting me "I have to go to bora bora" and I wrote "omg take me with you" and you said to me "I will." Now I will be taking you with me by my side because I know that's where you'll always be.

    A photo posted by Queen Jean ™ (@jeanniedetore) on

    It read, in part, “I truly believe everything happens for a reason and now I believe that AJ, Gabby, Angelina, and Robert are living at my house because that’s where you would want them to be. I’m so grateful to have a part of you during this difficult time.”

    It went on, “I see you in Angelina so much especially when she asks us to put rollers in her hair. Angelina is just like you she knocks on my door, sits at my vanity, puts red lipstick on with my red wig and dances around.”

    What do you think about the sweet moments shared at Big Ang’s funeral?

  • Big Ang: “Mob Wives” Co-Stars Honor Her Memory On Social Media

    Big Ang was remembered at her funeral mass on Monday at Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn.

    Many of Big Ang’s friends and family, and friends that are like family, came out to say their last goodbyes to the larger than life star.

    One source disclosed, “Ang’s sister [Janine Detore] gave an amazing speech. It was very touching.”

    Detore reportedly recalled a sweet moment with her sister, saying, “A few days before her death, my sister said she was at peace with dying and she was ready. I said, ‘I’m not!’ She said, ‘Get over it!’”

    One in a million .. #ogs #mobwives Your condolences are greatly appreciated .. Ang loved her fans

    A photo posted by Renee Graziano (@reneegraziano) on

    She continued, “She was a star long before TV. Mob Wives didn’t make her a star, she made the show a hit.”

    After the funeral mass, Big Ang‘s mourners went to Angelina’s in Staten Island for a disco-themed luncheon. Big Ang clearly would have loved it.

    Friends of Big Ang will no doubt feel her loss longer than most.

    I will see you again one day my friend…I will miss every minute of u until then. I love you. #RIPAngela

    A photo posted by Drita (@dritadavanzoladyboss) on

    Big Ang died early on Thursday morning after a long battle with throat cancer. She was 55 years old.

    What do you think of Big Ang’s online tributes from her friends?

  • Angela Raiola, ‘Mob Wives’ Star, Mourned By Hundreds In Brooklyn

    Friends and relatives of Mob Wives star Angela Raiola — or “Big Ang” — attended her funeral at St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn, New York on Monday. Raiola died of Stage 4 brain and lung cancer.

    More than 200 people, including fans of the reality star, said their goodbyes at a funeral mass at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Dyker Heights at 9:30 a.m. after which she was to be buried at a cemetery on Staten Island. Her ex-husband, Neil Murphy, reportedly came to her funeral, as well as her brothers Stephen and Louis Raiola and son Anthony D’Onofrio.

    She died at a mere 55 years of age on Thursday at a Brooklyn hospital after her yearlong battle with cancer. Angela Raiola was initially diagnosed last March with throat and lung cancer. As a result, the star underwent two medical procedures to treat the disease. She was believed to have been cancer-free until her doctors found she had Stage 4 brain and lung cancer in December.

    “I thought I was cancer-free, I was going to have a big celebration…” Raiola said in her last interview with Dr. Mehmet Oz on The Dr. Oz Show, on February 16. The upcoming episodes of Mob Wives will cover her fight with cancer.

    Appearing on The Dr. Oz Show last month, she revealed that she gets her strength from her loving family. “I look at my kids and my grandchildren and I know how much they need me,” the grandmother of six tearfully said.

    Angela Raiola Breaks Down on ‘The Dr. Oz Show’

    Raiola rose to fame on Mob Wives and later on starred on her own spinoff series Big Ang.

    Her representative announced via Twitter that fans who wished to honor her memory could make donations to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

    Angela Raiola is remembered by her friends and neighbors as “incredibly kind,” and several other celebrities also paid tribute by sharing stories of her generosity.

  • “Mob Wives” Star Brittany Fogarty Talks Being Banned from Angela “Big Ang” Raiola’s Wake and Funeral

    Mob Wives star Brittany Fogarty was one of a small handful of people banned from attending costar Angela “Big Ang” Raiola’s wake this weekend and her funeral earlier on Monday.

    Fogarty, along with her mom, Andrea Giovino, and Mob Stars cast mate Karen Gravano were prohibited from attending.

    During an interview with Us Weekly, Brittany Fogarty explained the situation.

    “I think that it’s unfortunate that I couldn’t be at any of Ang’s services this weekend, and that I couldn’t say bye to her in that way,” the Mob Wives star said. “The last thing that I would want is to go there and cause a scene. This is about celebrating Ang’s life and the fact that her family has to say bye to such a beautiful person and I want to respect that.”

    “I was called on Saturday, by a mutual friend, and told not to attend the services because of something my father did,” she added. “I was in my car heading over and pulled over and started hysterically crying. I was already upset because I was headed to her services, but pulled over and cried hysterically when I found out I couldn’t go. I was really taken aback when I received the call, I was not expecting it at all. Ang never judged me for the actions of my father. The fact that he cooperated with police never influenced her opinion of me, and I loved her for that.”

    Fogarty shared a picture of herself with her Mob Wives costar via social media as a way to honor Big Ang.

    “You will be forever missed and never forgotten. Thank you for always being there for me, I will forever cherish all of the memories and laughs we have shared together and all that you have taught me. Love you ? #RIP #Angela @biggangvh1,” she captioned it.

    “I understand that this is what happens in our world,” Brittany Fogarty continued. “I don’t think it’s right to punish me for something that I had no part of, but if that’s what will make this easier for Ang’s family, then that’s what I want to do. I don’t think that’s what Ang would have wanted, but that’s how it is. I’m going to have to say bye to her on my own time, I’m going to visit the cemetery this week and go pay my respects and say goodbye to Ang in that way. This service is about her family saying goodbye.”

    Renee Graziano, Carla Facciolo, and Drita D’Avanzo–all stars of Mob Wives–attended both Big Ang’s wake as well as her funeral.

    Angela Raiola died on Thursday at the age of 55, of complications from stage 4 lung and brain cancer. Her wake–held on both Saturday and Sunday–was held at the Scarpaci Funeral Home in Brooklyn. Her funeral and burial were held on Monday on Staten Island.

  • Carla Facciolo Remembers Late “Mob Wives” Costar, Angela “Big Ang” Raiola

    Carla Facciolo of Mob Wives fame joined her fellow costars in remembering their late friend and costar Angela “Big Ang” Railoa, who died on Thursday at the age of 55.

    Along with Renee Graziano and Drita D’Avanzo, Carla Facciolo shared thoughts on Instagram.

    “If #bigang taught me anything it was to was to be thankful for my life long girlfriends .. And as you can see I’m happy to be with these amazing ladies reminiscing about our time with Ang ..@kimcapone_ #etty @carlafacciolo #reminiscing #bigang #getoverit #foreverfriends #humble #grateful #blessed,” Graziano captioned a photo of the Mob Wives stars.

    Carla Facciolo reposted the same pic, adding her own caption.

    “a day we will never forget,” she wrote.

    Angela “Big Ang” Raiola was initially diagnosed with throat cancer. Her more recent diagnoses, however, included stage 4 brain and lung cancer.

    Carla Facciolo likes to remember how Big Ang always made her laugh.

    “Even filming, I couldn’t keep a straight face sometimes because all she did was make us laugh. Thank God for her, because if it wasn’t for her, we’d really kill each other sometimes,” she told People magazine. “Because if we were around her, she’d be like, ‘Get over it!’ She would yell at me. That’s why I used to call her the Mama Bear, because if I said something she’d be like, ‘Oh, Carla, please. Get over it.’”

    How wonderful that Carla Facciolo, Renee Graziano, Drita D’Avanzo and more have these wonderful memories of Big Ang now that she’s gone.

    Family members and friends attended a visitation for Big Ang at a Brooklyn funeral home on both Saturday and Sunday. She will be laid to rest on Staten Island on Monday.

  • Angela Raiola: Sister Shares “Mob Wives” Star’s Last Words

    Angela Raiola, best known as Big Ang on the reality TV show Mob Wives, passed away on Thursday at the age of 55. She suffered from stage 4 lung and brain cancer, and ultimately succumbed to pneumonia.

    For the first time, fans are learning the last words Angela Raiola uttered before she left this world. Her sister, Janine Detore, shared those words in during an interview with Extra on Friday.

    “She came down with pneumonia last week,” she said of Big Ang. “She went to the hospital last week for it, but she got better and came home on Friday.”

    “Ang was okay, and then she got pneumonia again Sunday,” Detore shared, adding she was rushed back to the ER on Monday.

    Detore said neither she nor Big Ang realized she was leaving home for the very last time.

    “She got in the ambulance and said, ‘I’ll see you later.’ Nothing was going through my mind,” her sister said.

    On Wednesday, Angela Raiola took a serious turn for the worse. Janine Detore received a call from the hospital.

    “They told me I had to come,” she said.

    Angela Raiola–Big Ang–spoke her last words on that day.

    “She just said she wanted to go home. It was very hard,” her sister recalled.

    “I never thought I was going to walk into this, and that’s what I walked into,” Detore said. “Her pneumonia was her death, and the cancer was so aggressive.”

    “It was so quick,” she added. “It was very peaceful. We were playing her favorite music. We were telling her how much we love her and how mommy and daddy were waiting for her. We told her she could go in peace and I will take care of the kids and grandchildren. Even her doctor cried and cried.”

    Angela Raiola is as big in death as she was in life. On Saturday, her Mob Wives cast mates, along with a bevy of family members and friends, gathered at the Scarpaci Funeral Home in Brooklyn to pay their respects. A second viewing was scheduled for Sunday.

    Angela Raiola will be laid to rest on Monday on Staten Island.

  • Big Ang: “Mob Wives” Costars, Estranged Husband Go to Funeral Home for Visitation

    Big Ang, whose real name was Angela Raiola, died on Thursday at the age of 55. On Saturday her estranged husband, Neil Murphy, as well as her Mob Wives costars, and a bevy of family members and friends were spotted arriving at the funeral home where her visitation was held.

    Renee Graziano, Carla Facciolo, Karen Gravano, and Drita D’Avanzo–all of Mob Wives–arrived at the Scarpaci Funeral Home in Brooklyn to pay their respects to Big Ang.

    Neil Murphy, who is a sanitation worker, had split from Big Ang shortly before her death. Despite their estrangement, he appeared at the funeral home Saturday wearing a blue suit and white shirt.

    Murphy tweeted his feelings about Big Ang’s passing and was by her side in her last days.

    At the funeral home, Big Ang’s casket was surrounded by huge floral arrangements. A Chanel-themed arrangement was from her children, Raquel and AJ, and featured a notation calling her “the greatest mother in the world.”

    In addition to starring on Mob Wives, Big Ang was well known and much loved in her Staten Island community. On Friday, a close friend named Lori Falcone spoke with Us Weekly about her departed friend.

    From the number of people who graced the Scarpaci Funeral Home in Brooklyn on Saturday, it’s plain to see Big Ang made a big impact of lots of people.

  • Big Ang of “Mob Wives” Dies of Cancer

    Big Ang of “Mob Wives” Dies of Cancer

    Big Ang of the reality show Mob Wives died of cancer on Thursday. She was just 55 years old.

    First receiving a diagnosis of stage 2 throat cancer, Big Ang–whose real name was Angela Raiola–later learned she had stage 4 lung and brain cancer. She admitted while a guest on Dr. Oz that she believed a lifetime of smoking gave her lung cancer. The episode on which she appeared aired just two days prior to her death.

    “I was smoking for 40 years,” Big Ang told Dr. Oz. “I think whoever smokes should quit, and if they didn’t start, don’t start.”

    Dr. Oz shared his dismay over her passing via Twitter.

    Known for her loud, raspy voice and her buxom physique, Big Ang didn’t mince words, but tried to always maintain her sense of humor.

    Even as her health sharply declined, she continued sharing her life on both Mob Wives and Couples Therapy.

    Big Ang is survived by her estranged husband, Neil Murphy, as well as two children and six grandchildren.

  • Angela Raiola: “Mob Wives” Star Known as “Big Ang” Dies of Cancer at 55

    Angela Raiola, best known as “Big Ang” of Mob Wives fame, died on Thursday of complications from cancer. She was 55.

    According to a report from the New York Times, Raiola had stage 2 throat cancer. She developed pneumonia in recent days, and her health quickly declined.

    Even as her health worsened, Angela Raiola continued documenting her life on both Mob Wives and Couples Therapy. A longtime smoker, Big Ang detailed some of her medical procedures on Mob Wives, including word she needed a biopsy on her lung.


    Angela Raiola appeared on an episode of Dr. Oz that aired just two days before her death. She revealed she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung and brain cancer since her initial diagnosis. She added she knew smoking was to blame for her lung cancer.

    “I was smoking for 40 years,” she said in the interview. “I think whoever smokes should quit, and if they didn’t start, don’t start.”

    Angela Raiola was known for her loud, raspy voice and her buxom appearance. She had a no-nonsense way of dealing with most situations, lending her sense of humor to many scenarios.

    In addition to her estranged husband, Neil Murphy, Angela Raiola–Big Ang–is survived by two children and six grandchildren.

  • Angela ‘Big Ang’ Raiola of ‘Mob Wives’ Has Died of Throat Cancer At the Age of 55

    Angela Raiola of the VH1 reality TV series Mob Wives has died of throat cancer at the age of 55.

    According to the Associated Press, the raspy-voiced, 6-foot reality star known as “Big Ang” died early Thursday, at a New York City hospital.

    Series producer, Jennifer Graziano, said Raiola died while surrounded by friends and family.

    A statement posted to Raiola’s Twitter account said she had “peacefully ended her battle with cancer.”

    “YOU (Her fans) were some of the most special people in her world, and she loved you immensely,” said the statement. “Thank you for your love, prayers, and unconditional support of Angela right to the end.”

    Diagnosed in March 2015 with throat cancer, Raiola saw a quick decline as the cancer spread to her brain and lung.

    In September, Raiola told People magazine that she had smoked for over 40 years, but quit the day she learned the tumor in her throat was malignant.

    “It’s hard to just put down the cigarette and never look back,” she said at the time. “I enjoy smoking. I miss it so much. But it’s over. Now I do the e-cigarette. It helps me, just to hold it in my hand.”

    Raiola joined Mob Wives during the show’s second season in 2012 and became a fan favorite. Her own spin-off series, Big Ang, premiered later that year.

    According to Fox 411, Raiola’s uncle, Salvatore “Sally Dogs” Lombardi was a captain in New York’s Genovese crime family.

    She is survived by her two children and six grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.