Angela Raiola wasn't just another reality TV personality. She was a force. Known to the world as "Big Ang" from VH1’s Mob Wives, she possessed a gravelly voice and a heart that seemed even bigger than her larger-than-life persona. But by early 2016, the vibrant, leopard-print-wearing matriarch of Staten Island was facing a fight she couldn't win. People still ask, how did big ang die, and the answer is a heavy mix of a late-stage diagnosis, a relentless disease, and a family left picks up the pieces. It wasn't just one thing. It was a rapid, aggressive decline that shocked fans who saw her as invincible.
She was only 55.
The First Warning Signs and a Scary Diagnosis
It started with a persistent pain in her throat. Like many of us, she probably figured it was something minor, maybe just the wear and tear of a life lived loud. But in March 2015, the reality set in. Doctors found a tumor the size of a lemon in her throat.
Imagine that. One day you're the life of the party at your bar, Drunken Monkey, and the next, you're being told you have a massive growth.
She underwent an eight-hour surgery. They removed the tumor. They removed some lymph nodes. For a minute there, it looked like she had beat it. Her sister, Janine Detore, was always by her side, helping her navigate the medical maze. Ang even did interviews saying she was done with cigarettes—a habit she’d had for over 40 years. She was trying. She really was. But cancer is rarely that simple.
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How Did Big Ang Die? The Tragic Turn to Stage IV
The "all clear" didn't last. By December 2015, things took a dark turn. The cancer hadn't just come back; it had migrated. This is the part that answers how did big ang die in the most medical sense: the primary throat cancer was gone, but the disease had metastasized to her brain and her lungs.
It was Stage IV.
Stage IV is a different beast entirely. It means the "primary" site has sent cells through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to set up shop elsewhere. For Ang, finding out it was in her brain was the kicker. She started chemotherapy immediately, but her body didn't respond the way the doctors hoped. Chemotherapy is brutal. It’s essentially poisoning the body to kill the cancer, and sometimes, the body just says "no more."
By early February 2016, the situation was dire. She appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, looking frail but still sporting her signature style. It was a heartbreaking watch. She admitted that her chances were slim—roughly 30 percent, she said. She also got real about her personal life, mentioning she had left her husband, Neil Murphy, during the final months because she felt he wasn't "stepping up" the way she needed during her illness. They later reconciled right before the end, but it showed the raw, unedited stress of a terminal diagnosis.
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The Final Days in Manhattan
The end came fast. Faster than anyone expected.
In mid-February, she was hospitalized at a Manhattan facility. Rumors started flying on social media that she had passed away on February 17th, but her team had to issue a frantic statement saying she was still fighting. She was still here.
But only for a few more hours.
On February 18, 2016, at 3:01 AM, Angela Raiola passed away. She was surrounded by her family—her children, Raquel and Anthony "AJ" Donofrio, and her siblings. The official cause of death was complications from stage IV lung and brain cancer. Specifically, she had contracted pneumonia in her weakened state, which is often what finally takes the life of a cancer patient. Their immune system is so compromised by the chemo and the disease that a simple infection becomes a death sentence.
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Why Her Story Still Resonates
Ang was the "peacemaker" on a show known for glass-throwing and screaming matches. She wasn't just a character; she was a neighborhood institution. When you look at how did big ang die, you see a cautionary tale about smoking, sure, but you also see a story about a woman who lived exactly how she wanted to until the very last second.
People loved her because she was authentic. In an era of filtered Instagram stars, Ang was uncomfortably, hilariously real.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
- Was it just throat cancer? No. While it started there, the metastasis to the lungs and brain was what ultimately led to her death.
- Did she die during surgery? No, she survived her initial surgeries. Her death occurred months later in a hospital bed after treatments failed.
- Was she still filming? She actually filmed scenes for the final season of Mob Wives while she was sick, which is why her weight loss and voice changes were so visible to the audience.
The Impact on Staten Island
The funeral was a massive affair. Four visitations were held because the volume of people wanting to pay respects was so high. It wasn't just celebrities. It was the "regular" people from the block who she had helped or made laugh over the years. She was buried at Resurrection Cemetery, leaving a void in the reality TV landscape that hasn't really been filled since.
Real-World Takeaways for Health Advocacy
Looking back at Ang's health journey offers more than just celebrity gossip. It’s a stark reminder of several medical realities.
- Early Screening is Non-Negotiable: If you have a persistent cough, a lump, or a change in your voice, get it checked. Ang’s cancer was aggressive, but catching things at Stage I or II offers drastically different outcomes than Stage IV.
- The "Smoking" Factor: Ang was open about her history with cigarettes. The American Cancer Society and Mayo Clinic both emphasize that long-term smoking is the leading risk factor for the specific types of cancers Ang battled. It's never too late to quit, but the damage can be cumulative.
- Metastasis is the Real Enemy: Most people don't die from a primary tumor in the throat. They die when those cells travel to vital organs like the lungs or the brain. Modern medicine is getting better at "targeted therapy," but once it spreads to multiple systems, the battle becomes an uphill climb against physics and biology.
- Support Systems Matter: In her final interviews, Ang talked about the importance of family. Regardless of the drama on Mob Wives, her children and sister were her bedrock.
Ang’s legacy isn't the cancer. It’s the "Big" life she lived. She showed that you can be tough as nails and still be the kindest person in the room. Her death was a tragedy of timing and biology, but her life remains a masterclass in being unapologetically yourself.
Practical Steps for Lung and Throat Health
- Schedule a persistent hoarseness check: If your voice changes for more than three weeks, see an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist.
- Request low-dose CT scans: If you are a long-term former smoker, talk to your doctor about specialized screenings that can catch lung nodules before they become symptomatic.
- Monitor lymph nodes: Keep an eye on any swelling in the neck area that doesn't go away after a cold or flu.