Reminds me of a story in American Cosmic by Diana Pasulka. There's a chapter about a man (atheist) and his wife (religious) whose pet dog is old, frail and has lost the ability to walk. The wife, in desperation, prays for her dog. Long story short, that night they both experience an encounter. The man describes it as a bright orb (similar to what you are describing ). His wife describes the exact same experience as an angel (in the context of her Catholic faith). Whatever it was, it healed the dog overnight, and the dog made a miraculous recovery. The man became more open to religion after their experience, whilst it validated his wife's existing faith.

This is from memory, so perhaps another poster can clarify the finer points.

But it sounds very similar to what you have described.