Big Ang's Mob Wives Costar Carla Facciolo Speaks Out: 'You'd Never Know' She Has Stage 4 Cancer
With her husky voice and "wise guys" attitude, Angela "Big Ang" Raiola is always the life of the party on Mob Wives. Now, she's fighting for her own life after being hospitalized for stage 4 cancer.
A smoker for more than 40 years, the former owner of Staten Island's Drunken Monkey bar underwent two surgeries to remove a lemon-sized tumor from her throat last year. But last week, her sister revealed the reality star is now battling brain and lung cancer, and because chemotherapy isn't working, she set up a GoFundMe to raise money for alternative treatments. (The page surpassed its $25,000 goal in two days.)
Still, Raiola rallied to film about half of the series' 10-hour reunion special shoot Friday – and her costars were amazed by her strength.
"For a person who has stage 4 cancer, you would never know it when it comes to Angela," Carla Facciolo tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week's issue. "She still wants to go out and have fun, and I'm happy that she lives her life to the fullest! She's a strong woman, and I wish and pray that she beats this horrible disease!"
• For much more on Big Ang's cancer battle, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday
Adds Jennifer Graziano, who created and produces Mob Wives: "Big Ang is literally one of my favorite people on Earth. I always feel pure happiness in her presence and nothing has changed. Although she is very sick, her attitude and personality are still the same, and she's still feisty as ever. She is a fighter, and her pure, genuine heart alone will see her through."
Mob Wives airs Wednesdays (8 p.m. ET) on VH1.
