It’s a fact of life that celebrities die as often as average individuals from problems such as heart disease, cancer, accidents, overdoses and more. But it’s still upsetting when a celebrity passes away who is only middle-aged and who seemingly had years and years ahead of her. This week, we learned that Mob Wives star Angela “Big Ang” Raiola passed away at the age of 55 after a short battle with Stage IV cancer.
The news of Big Ang’s passing was revealed this morning via Twitter in a note that expressed that Angela Raiola passed away at 3:01 a.m, surrounded by her friends and her large family. It also thanked fans for their support of the reality star over the years, including this note:
You (Her Fans) were some of the most special people in her world and she loved you immensely. Thank you for your love, prayers and unconditional support of Angela right at the very end. She truly went out richer than any monetary value could ever amount to… In typical Big Ang fashion, we know she would say, ‘Love you my babies!’
Big Ang’s Twitter account is expected to stay open in the reality star’s honor according to Vinnie Medugno, who posted the message.
For some time, Big Ang was a popular fixture within the Mob Wives cast, becoming famous for her big personality as well as her former plastic surgeries. You can see some of the antics she would get up to, below.
Because she was so popular within Mob Wives, VH1 offered her a second reality series which followed her working life simply called Big Ang. There was even a spinoff when she opened up a separate bar in Miami.
We’ve known that Big Ang was battling cancer in the months prior to her death. The reality star was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer last spring and was having surgeries to treat the tumors soon after. This winter, Big Ang found out the cancer had spread and she was then diagnosed with Stage IV brain and lung cancer. She started treatment for those tumors in January but her sister revealed later that month that the chemotherapy treatments had failed.
Angela Raiola is survived by her sister, a son and daughter and several grandchildren, who all ask for privacy during this time. She split up with her husband Neil Murphy shortly before her death. The two had appeared on Couples Therapy prior to her diagnosis.
