Everyone grieves differently. Everyone grieves differently. Everyone. Grieves. Differently. I’m going to keep repeating that mantra so that I don’t go off on the fact that Mob Wives’ Karen Gravano is giving soundbites to multiple media outlets regarding her friend Big Ang Railoa’s funeral. In fairness to Karen (who thought I’d ever type that??), Ang was loved by so many, I know her fans want to know how her friends and family are dealing with her tragic death to cancer…and I am sure the sites requested a comment.
Beloved Big Ang was laid to rest on Monday at Brooklyn’s Basilica of Regina Pacis with family, friends, and her Mob Wives co-stars of past and present in attendance. As I’m guessing is the nature of the “lifestyle” as the ladies like to call it, there were rumors that Karen and Brittany Fogarty were banned from the memorial service due to their father’s penchants for cooperating with the feds. Not so, says Karen!
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Speaking exclusively with E! (everyone grieves differently), Karen asserts that nothing could have kept her from attending Ang’s funeral. She explains, “The most important thing I want to say is that I was there to say goodbye to my friend,” adding, “Obviously, there is history there. But I was never banned. It was never, ‘You’re not allowed.’ It was about what would be the best timing and the most appropriate way.”
Karen continues, “My situation isn’t about my father, it isn’t about anyone else. It’s about paying respects to my friend. I wanted to say my goodbyes to Ang and pay respect to her and her family and an army couldn’t stop me. I was just happy to be there. Let people believe what they want to believe. I was there and I walked out holding her casket.”
However, Karen was absent at the visitation, citing, “I decided with the history it would be the best idea for me to do it on my own terms.”
Ang’s rep tells the site that the reality star’s casket was escorted out of the church by her friends Celia and Lil’ Jen, followed by Mob Wives producer Adam Gonzalez and Renee Graziano’s sister (and the show’s creator) Jen, Drita D’avanzo, Renee, Carla Facciolo, and Karen, sharing, “Everyone was crying and everyone’s heart is broken. While we all know Ang would want us all to be strong, it’s so hard.”
According to People, VH1 will air a tribute to Ang’s big life in March and will showcase a marathon of her spin-off Big Ang this week. I am sure I speak for a lot of Ang’s fans when I admit that I look forward to seeing her larger than life personality at her favorite place, the Drunken Monkey. Karen reveals to the site her belief that Ang is “in heaven drinking shots of Patron.” Season 4’s Alicia DiMichele concurs, further stating, “She looked like the goddess that she truly was. So beautiful and peaceful. At one point, I actually envisioned her looking down on all of us saying, ‘Hi, my babies,’ in her unforgettable voice. She would have loved her own services, her family did an amazing job.”
Here at Reality Tea, our prayers and positive thoughts continue to go out to Big Ang’s family and friends. It was a true privilege getting to share in her life thanks so reality television.
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[Photo Credit: Instagram]
