URBANDALE, Iowa —

An Urbandale mother is calling for change that she says starts at home. Her 15-year-old son, Miles Phipps, died by suicide earlier this month when she says the “final nail in the coffin” was when a substitute teacher misgendered him and doubled down on the stance after he corrected the teacher.

“If people were more kind, we wouldn’t be here,” said Ashley Campbell, Miles’ mother.

Campbell says kindness might have saved her son.

“Miles was special. He was unique. He was vibrant,” said Campbell. "He had a knack for lighting up a room with his smile.”

He also had a knack for making other people smile and bringing joy to their lives.

Campbell says Miles saved up money to buy 100 fuzzy worm string toys. He would go around and give them to people, passing them out and tell

See Full Page