Drea de Matteo’s mother, Donna de Matteo, has died. She was 82.
Donna died on May 31 after experiencing a cardiac episode, PEOPLE has learned. She had previously lived with Alzheimer’s disease for 10 years.
“We are deeply saddened by the unexpected loss of my mother, Donna de Matteo,” Drea, 52, shares with PEOPLE exclusively. “I was on my way to New York to spend the summer with her when I received the news of her passing .”
As a playwright, Donna wrote more than 30 plays, including several off-Broadway productions, that explore a wide spectrum of themes, from her own childhood trauma and the complex dynamics of family to homophobia and addiction. She also served as executive director of the HB Playwright Foundation and was a founding member of the National Organization of Italian-American Women.
“My mother was an amazing woman. She was sensitive, emotional, and brilliant. She experienced generational trauma but refused to let it define her,” Drea continued. “She took her pain and made beautiful art with it, writing plays that tore your heart out teaching her craft to others.”
“All of the best and worst of the Italian American experience was present in her upbringing, and she felt the whole spectrum of experiences of Italian American women,” the actress shares. “She devoted her life to helping women like her, and gave out scholarships so they could discover new worlds like she did.”
The Sopranos actress, who earned an Emmy Award in 2004 for her portrayal of Adriana La Cerva, has also appeared in other TV and film projects over the years, including Sons of Anarchy, Shades of Blue, Desperate Housewives and Swordfish. Drea attributes her successful acting career to her mother.
“My mother inspired me to pursue a career in entertainment. I would never have made it without her support,” she also tells PEOPLE. “While I have tried to honor her in some ways in all the work I’ve done, there is still more to come.”
Drea’s next unnamed project will pay tribute to her mother.
“My next project will look a little different,” she says, adding, “but I hope it will do even more than honor her — it will focus on her legacy and will keep her story alive to inspire future generations.”
