Mark Utter, who was born with a form of nonverbal autism, spent the first half of his life unable to share with others the thoughts, ideas and aspirations that swirled constantly in his head. But at age 30, the Colchester man was introduced to a method of computer writing called assisted typing, also known as facilitated communication. He would spend the rest of his life making new friends and "speaking" to anyone who would listen, often composing long, eloquent prose that could take him hours to painstakingly type. Utter, who shared his inspirational story in an award-winning 2013 film he wrote, I Am in Here: A View of My Daily Life With Good Suggestions for Improvement From My Intelligent Mind, died peacefully on October 28 at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, one year after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was 59. Utter's death was announced this week by Emily Anderson, his longtime friend and assisted typing facilitator, who now works at Green Mountain Self-Advocates, a statewide disability rights organization. As Seven Days explored in an April 11, 2012 cover story, "Utterly Mark: A Vermonter With Autism Makes His Inner Voice Heard Through Film," Anderson spent years at Utter's side, gently holding his elbow and helping him type his thoughts into a computer. As he explained at the time, Anderson's physical contact on his arm "focuses my energy." Utter's autobiographical movie was inspired by the 2010 documentary, Wretches & Jabberers, about two Vermonters with autism, Larry Bissonnette and Tracy Thresher, who went on a global quest to change public attitudes about people with disabilities. Utter's own movie would similarly inspire others to rethink their approach to people with neurological differences. Throughout his childhood, Utter was labeled "mentally retarded" and treated as though he understood little, if anything, about the world around him. Years later, Utter would astound family members and friends by demonstrating that, in fact, he knew all along what people were saying about him and was capable of deeply creative and complex thoughts. In 2013 he launched a blog called Utterly Mark, to which he contributed regularly for more than a decade. Utter even officiated at Anderson's 2018 wedding, using facilitated communication to address the ceremony's attendees. Utter was “a super-positive person [who] always tried to lighten things up,” Anderson recalled in an interview about her client and friend of more than 15 years. Always greeting people with a big, toothy…