Sepi Reko Pekkanen was born and raised in Oulu, Finland, and quickly delved into its music scene. The city is one full of culture, entertainment and attractions, but even the most exciting place can become mundane. After spending his first twenty years there, Sepi was more than willing to move on. He and a few friends, whose band had become relatively popular in their native city, headed to London, all crowding into one relatively small flat. While the group of young men occasionally performed in small clubs, Sepi earned his wages by bartending. His memories of his stay there are a bit hazy, as many if not most of his nights ended with heavy drinking. Despite this, inebriation did not play a part in his decision to move to America with his girlfriend. Just as with his relationships before and after her: he was simply enamoured, and also he feared the outcome of what had become an almost dangerous lifestyle.

    His girlfriend had come from Chicago, and three months later Sepi found himself living alone in that very city, deserted by the young woman he had accompanied. Most of his time was then spent working at the Riviera Theatre and drinking in the solace of his apartment, but he eventually began to venture out a little more after becoming sick of himself and his loneliness. He fell in love again in his typical head-over-heels manner with Trixie, a kindergarten teacher. He was so confident of his relationship, that just a few weeks in he confided to a friend that he wished to marry her, but allowed himself to be convinced to wait for at least six months.

    Everything had fallen nicely into place, and Sepi remained content for a time, but slowly his life began to take an unfortunate turn. His friends fell out of touch and he was somewhat forced to leave his job at the Riviera, though he was fortunate enough to quickly find employment with a moving company. He was unwilling to lose hope, despite the occasional nagging feeling that his relationship was starting to wane, and due to his eagerness to purchase an engagement ring, made radical decisions. He gave up his apartment and, though a naturally thin man with a sparse appetite, began to nurture his health even less. He moved in with his girlfriend, though reluctant to do so just for the sake of necessity. He proposed to her not long after their cohabitation began, but even the giddiness of their engagement was short-lived and depression quietly reared its head.

    Weakened by his poor diet and state of mind, he left his position at the moving company and reclaimed his profession as a bartender. It was when his friend, Wilhelmina, whom he had met even before his fiancée, stopped by the bar for a visit that he regretfully realised his relationship had veered in an unpleasant direction and began to fear his future fate. When he was blinded by his fast-paced love he had for the first time dreamed of a life with a wife and children, but Trixie had shown that she preferred to wait before starting a family of their own. He blamed himself for their lack of communication, and though he put his best effort into remedying the situation, it was in vain. Sepi felt a quiet envy of Wilhelmina's lifestyle, and while he was sure her life as a single mother was a difficult one, he knew it was more along the lines of the sort of lifestyle he now craved than the path his own had taken.

    It was with great reluctance that Sepi broke his engagement and moved temporarily into a motel room. Upon hearing this news, it was his closest friend, Wilhelmina, who offered to him the spare room of her apartment. The invitation was one he agreed to carefully, despite the inner glee it created. He promised to move back into his old apartment once it was available, unwilling to take advantage of Wil's generosity. Sepi knew that he was in love with her before he accepted the room, but his morals inclined him to keep this to himself, as she was in a relationship. Never before had he even thought of driving a couple apart, but Wil's boyfriend seemed no more than an incompetent annoyance. Had she been made happy by this other man, he would have supported the relationship, but this was not the case, and when he was sure that she had shown a hint of longing for Sepi himself, he asked that she give him a chance, instead.

    They have been together ever since, and even Clémence, Wilhelmina's infant daughter, refers to Sepi as 'Isi,' the Finnish equivalent of 'daddy.' The three have traveled together to Louisiana, where Sepi met Wil's family, even helping her father during the process of renewing his vows, and recently returned from Finland, where Wil and Clem met Sepi's family. Shortly after returning to Chicago, Wil found a job in Crocker Park and Sepi showed absolutely no qualms with relocating. They were still relatively new to the area when Wil surprised Sepi with a dinner cruise, and it was that night on the ship that he proposed, and she accepted.

    While the small town in South Carolina was comfortable and one Sepi thought would be a nice area to raise a family in, he wasn't particularly heartbroken to hear of another relocation, this one to the north, which would suit his taste for the seasons much better. Of course, his preference for chilly weather was not all that mattered, but the small town of Sleepy Hollow just as pleasant, quiet and safe.