'Mob Wives' Star Angela Raiola Dies After Battle With Brain, Lung Cancer

"Mob Wives" producer Jennifer Fraziano said the 55-year-old, whose real name is Angela Raiola, died surrounded by family and friends.

TV reality-star Big Ang died in the early hours of Thursday at a hospital in Brooklyn after a yearlong battle with stage 4 brain and lung cancer.

"Mob Wives" producer Jennifer Fraziano said the 55-year-old, whose real name is Angela Raiola, died surrounded by family and friends.

Raiola's friend Vinne Medugno posted a message to fans on her official Twitter account, informing them of her death.

"It is with sad regret that we inform you that at 3:01 a.m. Angela Raiola peacefully ended her battle with cancer, and was called home," the message reads. "She was surrounded by nothing but love from her immediate family, and closest friends. YOU, (Her fans) were some of the most special people in the world, and she loved you immensely."

Late Wednesday evening reports that Raiola had died circulated on social media, prompting Medugno to clarify in a Twitter post that Big Ange was still alive, fighting and "in the hospital surrounded by her loved ones."

The mother of two and grandmother of six had undergone several surgeries since she was diagnosed last March with throat and lung cancer. 

In a teaful interview on "The Dr. Oz Show" last month, Raiola said her family was her reason to keep fighting. 

"I look at my kids and my grandchildren and I know how much they need me," Raiola told Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of the syndicated TV series. [[238430011, C]]

The native New Yorker's hair, once long and dark, was pale and cut close-shaven in anticipation to losing it to chemo.

Raiola was the niece of the late Salvatore "Sally Dogs" Lombardi, who was a reputed captain of the Genovese crime family.

After gaining celebrity on "Mob Wives," Raiola got her own spinoff series, "Big Ang" and "Miami Monkey."

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