crippa perished a week ago at santa barbara cottage hospital , seven days after he ate a spoon bowl of the toxin amanita ocreata fungal , said his secretary , virginia crippa . recognized as " hell angel " for its snow - white appearance , the fungus has deadly toxins that worked their way through crippa ' s system , sickening him and eventually causing his liver to failing . family relations had often warned crippa against fantasies in his passion for hunting wild mushrooms , an operation he learned from his irish immigrant mothers , his doctor said .
Crippa's wife, Joan, was an Italian immigrant.