Cody Baker survived combat in Iraq, until he couldn't survive anymore

Family fights for PTSD help after soldier's suicide
WAVE 3 News
By Janelle MacDonald
Posted: Aug 29, 2013

HARDINSBURG, KY (WAVE) - A Kentuckiana family is trying to turn their tragedy into a helping hand for others in their same position. Army Specialist Cody Baker, an Iraq War veteran, took his life earlier this month.

His family says he suffered for years from post traumatic stress disorder and now they're hoping to change the way military members are treated.

Cody's family says his excitement at competing in the Meade County Fair's Mud Sling was there on his face for all to see. A month later, the same truck carried his coffin for his burial.

On August 19, the man his family remembers for his big smile committed suicide.

His wife Laci says she knew immediately it was because of PTSD. "There was no doubt in my mind because my Cody wouldn't do that," she said. "There's no way. He was way too full of life and cared way too much about everybody else to do something like that, to leave everybody behind. He was not that type of person. Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew immediately what had happened."

Laci knew the man who came back from Iraq in 2008 was different almost as soon as he returned.

"I noticed the first night that Cody got home from overseas that he had a nightmare in the night. He woke up and he couldn't breathe," she said.

She also noticed that Cody seemed like he had to stay busy. "It's like he couldn't stop for fear that something would catch up with him."
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How many more do we have to lose before we help them win?