Angela (Big ang) Raiola Obituary

Angela "Big Ang" Raiola, the flamboyant reality TV star who rose to fame on the VH1 series "Mob Wives," died early Thursday after a battle with lung and brain cancer. She was 55.The VH1 series, which began in 2011, features Staten Island women connected to men with alleged mob ties. According to the network's site, Raiola was the niece of Salvatore "Sally Dogs" Lombardi, who was a reported captain of the Genovese crime family.

Far from shying away from the Mafia connection, her bio on the site said, "Big Ang always strived to be popular with 'the mob.' "Known for her raspy voice, large stature and love of plastic surgery, she quickly became a popular member of the "Mob Wives" cast.Her success on that series led to the VH1 spinoff "Big Ang," which focused on her life as proprietor of the Drunken Monkey Bar and Grill and Big Ang's Secrets beauty salon, both in Staten Island. That show resulted in another spinoff, "Miami Monkey," about Raiola opening an outpost of her bar in Miami.Source : CNN