Ang's final scene
family gives reality star a 'Big' send-off
There were tears, kisses and “family” galore at Monday’s emotional sendoff for Angela “Big Ang” Raiola, star of the realityTV show “Mob Wives.”
Raiola — the brashtalking, bigbosomed, biglipped doyenne of the VH1 show — was laid to rest after a morning Mass inside the Basilica of Regina Pacis Church on 65th Street in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.
Among the mourners were her castmates, including: Karen Gravano, the daughter of mob turncoat Sammy “The Bull” Gravano; Drita D’Avanzo, wife of mobster Lee D’Avanzo; and Carla Facciolo, the daughter of Gambino crimefamily associate Louis Facciolo.
Carla Facciolo’s uncle, Bruno, worked under Lucchese capo Paul Vario, who was played in the movie “Goodfellas” by Paul Sorvino. His character’s name was changed to Paul Cicero.
Raiola, who died Thursday at age 55 from complications of cancer, went out in a style befitting her largerthanlife character. She was remembered in a flowercrammed church, with white pigeons released after the ceremony.
After a Mass led by Monsignor David L. Cassato, mourners congregated in the street as a large crowd — including many fans of the show — also gathered to gape.
Big Ang’s ties to the mob came through her uncle, Salvatore Lombardi, who was known as Sally Dogs, a lowkey capo of the Genovese crime family.
Her big personality made her the most popular character on the show, which is now in its sixth and final season.
Those also on hand to say goodbye to her included: her es tranged husband, Neil Murphy, a city sanitation worker; brothers Louis and Stephen; her sister Janine Detore; and her kids, Anthony and Raquel.
The venue for her funeral could be considered entirely appropriate: Precious jewels were twice stolen from the church — only to be returned after the purported intercession of Mafia kingpins.
In May 1952, the jewels, which were used to adorn a painting of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, were stolen several months after they’d been flown to Rome to be blessed by Pope Pius XII.
Eight days after they were discovered missing, they were mysteriously mailed back to the rectory, supposedly after the personal intercession of Joseph Profaci, the head of a local mob family who had personal ties to the church.
In January 1973, the same jewels, valued at more than $100,000, were again stolen and then returned after the FBI made contact with organizedcrime figures, a federal official said at the time.
The mobster who helped return them was later identified as Gregory Scarpa Jr., a powerful Colombo family capo.