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| - Update: Angela Raiola's family has confirmed her death as of 3:01am on 18 February 2016:
This is @vinniemedugno on behalf of the family of Angela Raiola, please see below: pic.twitter.com/wiuPApr9Lw
— Angela Raiola (@biggangVH1) February 18, 2016
On 17 February 2016, multiple outlets reported that Mob Wives personality "Big Ang" (Angela Raiola) died of cancer at a Manhattan hospital:
Big Ang, 'Mob Wives' reality star, has reportedly died at the age of 55: https://t.co/xF0UwhFoBX pic.twitter.com/fSx97jqRYy — Fuse TV (@fusetv) February 18, 2016
Initial reports, however, were conflicting (despite some big names in entertainment news having carried the story):
Entertainment Tonight reporting Big Ang died, but my sources say she's still alive. So gross to jump the gun for pvs pic.twitter.com/CfHjUnh8rF — Mark Graham (@unclegrambo) February 18, 2016
ETOnline originally reported:
Angela Raiola, known as "Big Ang" on the TV show Mob Wives, died at age 55 in the hospital on Wednesday after a battle with stage 4 cancer, a family source confirmed to ET. In December, ET confirmed that Raiola's throat cancer had returned. Several months earlier, in March, a lemon-size tumor was previously discovered and removed from her throat in March 2015. Later, in June, she underwent the same procedure for the right side of her throat as well.
Later on 17 February 2016, that web site walked back the report, updating with the following statement:
UPDATE: Though a source close to the family confirmed Angela Raiola's death to ET on Wednesday night, Mob Wives creator and Raiola's sister Jenn Graziano now says, "At this time that is a false rumor. I am here with the entire family and all her friends and they ask for your continued support and prayers. We will keep everyone updated."
A tweet published late on 17 February 2016 by the account @BigAngOfficial denied the claim:
pic.twitter.com/L8CZyCWTdJ — Angela Raiola (@BigAngOfficial) February 18, 2016
The account also retweeted two tweets lambasting ET for their premature report:
Let's get cable to drop @etnow! TWEET #FIREET & #SUEET NOW! EVERY TWEET IS A PRAYER AND SUPPORT FOR BIG ANG! #FIREET #SUEET — Mob Wives (@MobWivesLS) February 18, 2016
CONFIRMED: @etnow is the source who spread the rumor about Big Ang! #SueET #FireET — Mob Wives (@MobWivesLS) February 18, 2016
Aside from the tweet, representatives for Raiola provided no further information about Big Ang's condition, other than confirming she remained hospitalized in Manhattan and was "fighting."
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