Shawn Dollar, the Santa Cruz surfer who holds the Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever paddled into, was hospitalized after he hit his head on a rock during a surfing accident in Big Sur on Monday.

Dollar broke his neck in four places and incurred head trauma and a concussion. He was driven to Dominican Hospital, where he is in stable condition.

“He got really lucky, as lucky as the doctors have seen,” said fellow Santa Cruz big wave surfer Darryl “Flea” Virostko, who said he spoke with Dollar on Tuesday morning. “He’s recovering. He said he’s going to be OK.”

Waves averaged 4-6 feet along the Central Coast most of the day, according to the wave forecasting company Surfline.com. However, a south swell produced large waves with unfavorable mixed conditions that put Dollar in a critical situation, according to a press release from Cartel Management. Cartel produces the Titans of Mavericks surf contest, for which Dollar is an invitee and ambassador.

“I’m so thankful I’m alive and present today,” Dollar said in the release. “Being surrounded by my loved ones through this time has been paramount for me. I’m so grateful for those who were there in my scariest and darkest hour and who acted on my behalf to get me to safety and reach the hospital in time. I’m thankful to learn that even with these severe injuries I will make a full recovery. They will be met with challenges, but with my family’s support and community encouragement I will be back in no time.”

Dollar first appeared on the big wave surfing radar during the 2010 Maverick’s surf contest. Not invited to compete, he surfed a 55-foot wave during an expression session prior to the final, which led to him setting the record for the biggest wave paddled into and earning the Billabong XXL Biggest Paddle award. In 2012, he topped his own mark, setting the current Guinness world paddle record when he surfed a 61-foot wave at the Cortes Bank off of Baja California. That garnered him XXL awards for biggest paddle and biggest overall wave surfed that year. In 2013, he reached his first Maverick’s contest final and finished sixth.

He is married with two children.