I know we have gotten off topic, so I apologize for that.
First, let me reiterate that I am a literal person, so if someone sees metaphor and allegory in everything, they will probably not agree with my interpretation:
Second, for discussion purposes, I will state two stipulative definitions for “real” depending on the context of its usage.
1. Actually existing as a thing. (Tangible)-must be able to be sensed by one of the 5 senses by others.
2. Occurring in fact. (Genuine)-not necessarily sensed by one of the 5 senses by others.
In the context of your experience, of course it was Genuine.
In the context of what you saw it would need to be Tangible.
Since I have never had such an experience, I will have to rely on your perception of what you saw. Did you perceive it as Tangible or as a vision/hallucination/something you imagined?
Was what you saw different than the visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations that someone on drugs, with a mental illness, or experiencing delirium tremens might experience?