FeatureBehind the Badge: A story of hope and perseverance from DR Congo to coaching at LFC
It involves being separated from his parents at the age of five, countless visa issues, experiencing civil war, and a language barrier.
Throughout his story, though, a ball has never been far from his feet – something that has played a key part in leading him to his current role as an Academy coach with the Reds.
"I was born in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I remember one day my dad took me to school and then the next he wasn't there," Gephte tells Liverpoolfc.com.
"I understood. Even though I was five, I knew what was happening. My mum then left after that and took a few of my brothers to join him in France.
"I remember speaking to my dad on the phone and he wanted me to go over once I was allowed but, as the oldest, I said I couldn't leave my little brother alone – I couldn't do it. They managed to get him over after that and I remained.
"I stayed and the way that it happened meant I ended up staying for another seven or eight years in the end. I had to grow up myself and do it fast."
Gephte lived with extended family while separated from his parents and siblings back home in Congo, with many fleeing historical conflict, violence and political uncertainty.
"It was obviously tough. The hardest part was seeing your friends spending time with their families," he continues.
"Although I lived with my nan and I'd spend time with my uncle and auntie over the summer holidays, I still felt like it was just me.
"There were a lot of difficult moments but a lot of it shapes you to who you're going to become later in life.
"As a kid, I spent all my time just playing out, that's all there was to do really in Africa. You'd be outside all day – I'd just be playing football with whoever was around.
"There were a lot of times where I tried to go over and rejoin the family – but it just didn't work out for one reason or another."
One of those times saw Gephte travel to Cameroon and then to Bangui in the Central African Republic due to ease of travel from the region to Europe.
He was due to take a flight to join his family in Paris, but civil war broke out in the country, which saw him remain there for two years.
"I wasn't supposed to stay there," he recalls.
"You think about it now and just wonder how you survived. There were people dying every day. Some people were just walking around, and a bullet would hit them. Then they'd be gone.
"I missed school for the two years I was there from when I was about nine until 11. We were just surviving, really. I do think football was always written for me. It's like it was always something I was going to do.
"I had this yellow football and I used to walk around with it – there was a big Congolese community there – and with everything going on I'd just go around and play football with whoever wanted to play.
"There was no mum or dad, I was just with my uncle. Once I made some friends we used to go and try to sneak in the local stadium for games. I would try to be a ball boy and go on the pitch. All we did was play out, there was no school. And then one day I was booked on a flight to travel.
"I remember my uncle managed to get us on one with everything that was going on – but then I was actually on the plane and two men then came on and said I couldn't travel because he wasn't my dad, so I had to get off."
Gephte ended up returning to Congo and back to his education.
It wasn't until he was 13 years old that he would finally join his family in Europe, who in the interim had moved from Paris to London and then north to Liverpool.
He remembers the exact date he landed in Manchester to see his parents and siblings after eight years of separation: January 20, 2008.
"I didn't know what my mum looked like, you see pictures but it's not the same," he says.
"I landed in January – you know what it's like in January! Living in the heat and then to come here was a big difference.
"As soon as I saw my mum and dad, I knew it was them. My heart just went, boom. It was an emotional time. I had to meet all my siblings again because they didn't know me – my parents had two more kids and I'd never met them as well.
"It was tough. I was a stranger to my siblings. They'd speak English, which I didn't know a word of, and they didn't really speak French or Lingala."
On Merseyside, football can been seen as a way of life whether you're red or blue – and it was the one thing Gepthe knew well as he made his adjustment.
He continued to harbour hopes of becoming a professional footballer and spent much of his teenage years playing for a team in Dingle with friends from school.
His talent landed him trials with clubs in Scotland, including Heart of Midlothian, and a contract offer in the lower leagues north of the border.
Gepthe was also offered a full college scholarship to move to Philadelphia in the USA and play during his further education.
But he eventually settled on remaining studying sport exercise science at John Moores University.
"Originally I wanted to do accounting and finance," he explains.
"When I was studying, I had some mates who wanted to be coaches and were doing their badges. I was still playing and still had offers coming in so I dismissed it completely.
"There's a guy who works at Liverpool now called Yinka [Ademuyiwa] around the first team. He used to coach me when I was younger in Kenny [Kensington] in those community sessions the club put on.
"We built a really good relationship from there, and he had started his own coaching company and when he gave me a job I did like one hour a week for him.
"That's how my coaching journey started. He was always telling me I'd be good at it. He then got me involved in doing camps.
"I didn't have any badges at the time and I wasn't going to bother, but then I went for a job at the Foundation – even though I still had to be convinced because I still wasn't sure on it.
"Eventually I felt like I could do more and the Academy was never in my mind. I never said to myself that I wanted to be a football coach at all. I got spotted by someone who was scouting the kids one day, and they got in touch with Yinka because they thought I was good.
"I got a phone call, and I initially wasn't interested at all because I still had other hopes and things I preferred. I actually recommended a friend! But then I started casually initially, and it just went from there and the love grew."
Gepthe is now a lead foundation phase coach in the Academy and works across the U9s, U10s and U11s in Kirkby, leading the age groups.
"It's been the greatest thing for me when I look back," he says.
"From where I've come from in Congo and watching Liverpool in the Champions League on TV... I actually got emotional being at Anfield when we played Real Madrid a while back. Not only for being there as a fan but it was being there as someone who worked for the club too."
Despite his journey not being a linear one, Gepthe knows that his upbringing is and will always remain a vital part of his story.
He holds hopes one day that he can help repay the nation that formed such a crucial part of his life and it heavily involves the game that he so dearly loves.
"I actually haven't been back yet after all these years. It will be an emotional trip when I do. I don't think your childhood ever leaves you," he said.
"I've lived here more than I lived in Congo now, which is crazy to think about. When I do go back, I want to do it properly and plan it. I want to put some coaching sessions on as well and take some kits over and try to start something meaningful over there.
"When you grow up in Congo you just have a connection that never leaves you. It will always be there."
So, what next for Gephte? After all that he has faced in his life, he sees no reason why he should put a limit on his ambition.
He finishes: "With everything that I've been through in my young life so far, I believe that nothing can stop me.
"I have aspirations of going all the way and managing at the highest level I can. You can dream of the Premier League, Champions League and World Cup – why not? I believe I can do it.
"My childhood has inspired me to get where I am today at Liverpool and I believe there's more to come on my coaching journey. I've never had anything to lose."