pasquale martin is her uncle. >> the first time i had seen her take the stage and sing "mambo italianoknocked me out. >> reporter: not afraid of the spotlight, huh? >> nah, she loved it. >> reporter: she could belt it out to the rafters but was she any good? her friends t.j. donahue and mary petrone are diplomatic. >> she thought so. >> she was -- oh. no, i -- she could carry a tune. but she thought she was much better than she actual >> she had the charisma -- >> yeah. >> -- to kind of pull off anything. >> reporter: t.j. became tight with ann in high school and one day, the two of them pulled off a ferris bueller spectacular, skipping school, road-tripping all the way from springfield to new york city in her mother's car. they were 16. t.j., that's a hooky day. >> i know. i think we're try -- >> reporter: that's not just going to the movies or hanging out. >> no, no, no. it was a big deal. however, we ended up getting caught 'cause ann left the -- ticket for the george washington bridge in the car. >> new york city was not for the timid. >> i know, but she was impulsive like that. >>