SAN FRANCISCO - A 6-year-old Vacaville boy received a new heart after relying on an artificial heart for nearly eight months, longer than any child in North America, according to hospital.

During the 234-day ordeal at Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Jason Zhao suffered two strokes and three brain hemorrhages. Just a month ago, he was removed from the donation waiting list and estimated to have only three weeks to live after a stroke paralyzed him and silenced him, said the boy's father, Guanglin Zhao.

The younger Zhao was placed on the artificial heart, a mechanical pump known as the Berlin Heart, in June when his abnormally swollen heart suddenly stopped beating.

Prior to Jason, the longest amount of time a child have lived on the pump in North America was 174 days, said Todd Kleinheinz, a spokesman for the hospital.