Editor's note: An update to this story can be read here.

At the last minute, Bryce Long's mom finessed a way to accompany him to a marching band contest in Oklahoma.

"I didn't think I was going to get to go, but that morning everything just worked out. If not, he wouldn't have had a parent there," said Colette Long. "Thank God I was able to go. He was not alone."

The freshman trumpet player in Nixa High School's marching band suffered a traumatic face injury during the 36th annual Renegade Review Marching Contest, which was held Oct. 13 in Tulsa.

Following a five-hour rain delay, Nixa's marching band — with more than 250 members— took the field early evening for its "Birds of a Feather" performance, which celebrates diversity and finding common ground. At the end, to mimic a flock of birds, they flapped and squawked while exiting the field.

Amid the noise and activity, the 15-year-old student was making his way to the sidelines when he was struck in the face by a baritone horn.

"Bryce said he remembers in slow motion the baritone coming at him. He remembers thinking 'that is going to hurt' and feeling whiplash," she said. "He leaned over and there was blood just rushing out of his mouth. He was trying to form the word 'help.'

She added: "He said, 'I ran my tongue across the top of my mouth and thought, 'where are all my teeth?'"

From the stands, Colette Long didn't see it happen. Minutes later, her cellphone started to ring. The calls were from her son, but she didn't answer out of respect for the band that took the field immediately after Nixa.

"When the band finished, I called him back and it was silent," she recalled. "An EMT got on and told me he busted his lip and needed stitches."

Update:Surgery set for Nixa marching band student with traumatic face injury

More:To coach again, Ozarks man overcomes cancer, debilitating stroke

She rushed to the medical tent. An EMT put an arm around her shoulder and admitted the injury was actually much worse. An ambulance was called.

The teen, who is just 5 feet 5 inches tall and 105 pounds, lost a significant amount of blood, shattered his upper jawbone, broke his palate, knocked out all his front teeth and dislodged his bottom teeth — which are now chipped, cracked or broken.

"It looked like a bomb went off in Bryce's mouth," she said.

In the hours that followed, Bryce Long was seen by doctors and surgeons at two Tulsa hospitals. They were eventually able to stop the bleeding, but he grew weak, his face swelled and bone shards moved around, creating new wounds. He was in pain.

She said that evening and the next morning, there was confusion about what happened.

"There were so many rumors," she said. "There was so much blood that some people thought he died."

Colette Long said her son has been protective of the marching band student who struck him in the face. Neither will name the student publicly, and they insist they do not blame the classmate for what happened.

"It was a pure freak accident," she said. "(The student) feels bad enough. We don't want to make it worse."

Trending Now:Springfield police chief: 'We should never have destroyed rape kits'

More:Who is Elizabeth McKeown, suspect in Springfield vehicular homicide?

Craig Finger, director of bands for Nixa Public Schools, said Bryce was a good fit in the marching band and has a love of music.

"He's a very enthusiastic young person and he has a lot of friends," he said.

Finger said he encouraged fellow band students to reach out to him but to be respectful in what information they share as he recovers.

"There was a lot of concern for him," he said. "...We really tried to stress that one of the ways to support someone who is going through a difficult time is just to be there for them."

Colette Long, a single mom with two sons in their 20s, said following the accident, they spent four days in Tulsa before he was strong enough for the drive back to Springfield. Once home, it took a while to find an oral surgeon willing to take the case and Medicaid.

"He still has not had surgery to clean up his mouth," she said.

Trending:9 students on Springfield school bus during early morning crash, no injuries, official says

More:Springfield PE teacher uses 'heart story' to inspire healthy choices in children

In the past six weeks, the swelling has gone down and the palate has started to heal. Bryce will need facial reconstruction surgery, including bone grafting. Some of the remaining teeth will need to be removed and, after intermediary steps, he'll need permanent dental implants as well as dentures.

The family said the initial surgery was recently approved by Medicaid, and the goal is to schedule it as soon as possible.

It's unclear how many surgeries will be needed. The recovery process may take a year or longer.

Colette Long said her son struggles to eat and uses a cane.

"He hasn't been able to really walk until about a week ago. He's been so weak," she said. "He has not been back to school."

The family initially worried Bryce would have to repeat his freshman year, but the district placed him in the "homebound" program. A teacher spends five hours a week with him and he is able to complete assignments to stay on track to graduate with the Class of 2022.

Colette Long said the injury is a devastating setback to her son.

She explained he had been bullied a couple of years ago and finally carved out a sense of belonging at school. He plugged in through theater and band.

In eighth grade, he was cast as the lead role in Nixa Junior High School's production of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown." This fall, he won a part in the high school's version of "Footloose," but the injury kept him from performing.

The teen, who has been playing the trumpet for years, developed close bonds with the marching band during the summer practices. He was making new friends. This fall, he was selected as the freshman attendant for the homecoming court.

"He's very social," she said. "It's been hard on him, these weeks of hurting and missing out on everything."

She added: "When he gets back to school it will help."

Trending:SPS student charged in two alleged assaults, days apart at two different schools

More:Kickapoo High's 'Into the Woods' to take stage in Kansas City

Colette Long said Finger has reassured her son, who can also play the piano, that he will find a way to plug into the band when he returns. "They don't know if he'll ever be able to play his trumpet again, but Mr. Finger made it clear he'll always have a place in the marching band."

Finger said he doesn't want Bryce Long to worry about what instrument he will play.

"His first priority needs to be just getting better," he said. "We just want to continue to be there for him, as well as for him mom, long term."

He said a few students have visited him. "They were all excited to see him and there were a lot of hugs."

Finger said he's eager to have Bryce back full time.

"Music is a great healer and a great distraction sometimes," he said, adding that it can be cathartic to just "concentrate on notes on a page."

The band booster club in Nixa established an account on the online fundraising website GoFundMe to help offset emergency expenses during the prolonged recovery. So far, there have been 87 donations totaling $6,340.

Bryce Long's mother has repeatedly thanked people who have helped:

"Many of you I don't personally know and it's so amazing what you're doing for Bryce. He is doing as well as could be expected," she wrote. "Still in pain, but handling this situation with amazing strength."

She said the high school, the marching band — and even strangers — have helped out. For example, she checked out of the hotel in Tulsa and found out that the bill had been paid. "I've been blown away by all the support."

Want to help?

An account for "Bryce Long, injured Nixa student" was set up on the online fundraising website GoFundMe to help the family with emergency expenses. It can be reached at https://www.gofundme.com/bryce-longinjured-nixa-student.