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Big Ang’s Death: VH1 Star To Be Honored In Private New York Church

By Niki Cruz
Published on: 06:28 PST, Feb 19, 2016

Big Ang is set to be honored with a private funeral in New York. The VH1 Mob Wives star, who shot to notoriety as the peacemaker among mob family, will be laid to rest soon.

Angela Raiola, who was the niece of big time mobster Salvatore “Sally Dogs” Lombardi, passed away at the age of 55 after a short battle with cancer. The star had contracted pneumonia and died peacefully in a New York City hospital among family and friends.

Big Ang is survived by many friends and colleagues, including her estranged husband, Neil Murphy, her two children, Anthony and Raquel, and her six grandchildren, who she was sad to leave.

According to E! Online, four private showings will be held in a funeral home for Big Ang, and on Monday, a private funeral will take place at the Basilica of Regina Pacis in Brooklyn, New York. Additionally, the Brooklyn native, who lived on Staten Island, will be laid to rest in a private burial on the Island.

As the Inquisitr reported, her sister Janine Detore spoke to Us Weekly about her sister’s state of mind while on her death bed.

“She was so at peace with death. She was OK with it. She said she didn’t want to live being on the medicine, doing all that. She didn’t want to do that. And she said, ‘If it’s my time, it’s my time, just tell me. I want to spend my time with the grandchildren and with my family.’ She wanted to be home and all that.”

During her last TV appearance, the reality star broke down in tears while on The Dr. Oz show. The reality star appeared on the show to warn people that her 40-year addiction to cigarettes is what caused her stage 4 lung and brain cancer.

The star broke down in tears while talking about her family.

“I look at my kids and my grandchildren and I know how much they need me. Sometimes I feel I’m gonna be fine, and sometimes I just don’t think I am.”

Initially, Big Ang’s cancer was detected in her throat, and after two surgeries, she was told that she was cancer-free. That said, in December she learned that the cancer was back and had spread at an aggressive rate. The chemo that she treated the cancer wasn’t working. The star passed away 10 months after her initial diagnosis.

Raiola tweeted about her upcoming appearance on The Dr. Oz Show.

After her death, Dr. Oz reflected on the January 29 taping, saying that Big Ang knew this was life threatening.

“She was scared. Which is always a sign that… people know more about their bodies than any test will tell you. What the patient tells you is more accurate than what you can guess. She had been beaten down over the last year.”

[Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images]

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