Mark Utter was born with a form of autism that made it impossible for him to say what he was thinking for the first half of his life. He did not have access to the world of words, except as a listener, an observer. When Mark was 30, he was introduced to supported typing, and for the first time in his life, with the help of a facilitator and a typing pad, he started his life as a writer of words.
Mark Utter died this past October, and this show is a tribute to him. I made this story with Mark back in 2015. In this conversation, we talk about what it felt like to live outside the world of verbal communication for 30 years, and what it's been like ever since.
Rumble Strip is a podcast produced by Erica Heilman and distributed on the radio by Vermont Public. Learn more about the show here.
