Cody Nusbaum, a Jacksonville Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, endured hundreds of treatments and surgeries after being ambushed in 2011. While his physical wounds have healed, he continues to battle post-traumatic stress disorder — and is now exploring alternative treatments that aren’t yet legal in the United States.
Jacksonville Army veteran shot 11 times in Afghanistan, fights for access to psychedelic PTSD treatmentYour southeast Georgia, northeast Florida Friday forecast is fantasticMan shot by officers after alleged hostage situation involving woman, infant in East Arlington: JSO– A Jacksonville Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient survived being shot 11 times in Afghanistan.
Now, he’s fighting a battle no one can see. Cody Nusbaum endured hundreds of treatments and surgeries after being ambushed in 2011. While his physical wounds have healed, he continues to battle post-traumatic stress disorder — and is now exploring alternative treatments that aren’t yet legal in the United States.
“We were ambushed — they had Afghan police uniforms on, so I thought he was on our team. And then he was about 10 feet away from me when he started shooting. He shot me 11 times. And then he ended up shooting me down up in the leg.
One went through me and hit my squad leader,” Nusbaum said.
“For some reason, I knew I wasn’t gonna die. I don’t know why,” he said. Nusbaum was flown to a hospital in Germany, where he received his Purple Heart under extraordinary circumstances.
“When I was in Germany, one of the 10th Mountain commanders came in the middle of the night to give me my Purple Heart,” he said. “He wanted to come in the middle of the night because they told Cody he wasn’t going to make it through the night. They told him he would never walk. He can run.
They told him, like, he would never be able to have kids. We have five,” Ashley said. The Nusbaums live in Jacksonville with their five children. Despite Cody’s remarkable physical recovery, PTSD makes even simple daily tasks a significant challenge for the family.
“I pay all the bills. I pay, like, I make dinner, I clean. I do everything. Pretty much every single thing,” she said.
Now, the family is exploring ibogaine — a psychedelic currently being studied for its potential to treat brain injuries and PTSD. The drug is currently illegal in the United States. According toibogaine is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance in the United States and has a high potential for abuse. An executive order signed by President Trump in April, could enhance research on psychedelic drugs and mental health treatment access.
“I’ve talked to a lot of guys who have done it, and they swear by it. So, they said, I mean, a lot of SF, Special Forces,” he said. Ashley Nusbaum has launched a website sharing her husband’s story, along with a donation drive.
“I feel like if I would be more independent, and that would be great for us. You know, I could be a better role model for my kids,” he said. The family says every donation, regardless of size, would help cover the cost of treatment. A link to their website is available here:Andrea Snody joined the News4JAX team in February 2026 as a reporter on The Morning Show and a multimedia journalist, covering all things military here in Jacksonville.
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Veterans Seeking Ibogaine Purple Heart Recipient
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