Angela was born in Tennessee and raised in Washington State. She was adopted from foster care with a diagnosis of spastic quadriplegia and was labeled a "failure to thrive." Drawn to providing for her medical needs, her adoptive parents welcomed her into a large family with seven other children who were also adopted specifically to support their unique disabilities. Despite challenges, Angela defied doctors’ predictions and ended up learning to walk at a later age and then going on to play collegiete basketball and track. Her profound hearing loss was mitigated with hearing aids when she was just five years old, which she has come to embrace and proudly wear as a fashion accessory.

While studying Psychology at Seattle Pacific University, Angela began blogging to explore her experiences growing up in a closed adoption. In 2013, she located her biological parents and captured the reunion on film, which was initially intended as personal footage. Her husband, Bryan Tucker, recognized its impact and created CLOSURE, a documentary that premiered on Netflix.